Shakib Al Hasan is a Bangladesh all-rounder who will represent Pokhara Avengers in NPL Season 3 as the franchise's marquee overseas signing. The numbers behind him are among the finest in the game: 71 Tests, 247 ODIs and 129 T20Is across nearly two decades, with 317 ODI wickets and 7,570 ODI runs. His signature remains the 2019 World Cup, where 606 runs and 11 wickets made it the only 600-run, ten-wicket tournament ever.
In the Nepal Premier League 2026, he gives Pokhara four overs of left-arm spin, a flexible left-hand batting option and a dressing-room standard the squad has lacked. With Shakib, the franchise's push for a first playoff appearance finally has a centrepiece.
About Shakib Al Hasan
Shakib Al Hasan is the biggest signing in Pokhara Avengers' history — the Bangladeshi great arriving as the marquee overseas player for NPL Season 3, and the highest-profile international acquisition the franchise has ever made. The numbers need no embroidery: 71 Tests, 247 ODIs and 129 T20Is across nearly two decades at the top, a career that places him among the finest all-rounders the game has produced.
The single line that defines him remains the 2019 World Cup: 606 runs and 11 wickets in one tournament, still the only 600-run, ten-wicket edition any player has ever produced. Pokhara, a franchise chasing its first playoff appearance after two misses, has bought not just a cricketer but a standard — and under captain Kushal Bhurtel and new head coach Ajantha Mendis, Shakib's Season 3 is about turning that standard into results.
Player details
| Field | Detail |
|---|---|
| Full name | Shakib Al Hasan |
| Country | Bangladesh |
| Playing role | All-rounder |
| Batting style | Left-hand bat |
| Bowling style | Slow left-arm orthodox |
Playing style and strengths
Shakib's game is the complete T20 all-round package, and it starts with his slow left-arm orthodox. In the shortest format he is a control spinner who hunts wickets: darting the ball in at the stumps, changing pace without changing his action, and using the angle across right-handers to force mistakes. His T20 method is rarely about big turn; it is about relentless accuracy and a cricketing intelligence that reads batters' intentions a ball early. Four overs from Shakib are four overs the opposition cannot escape.
With the bat, the left-hander is equally adaptable — capable of rebuilding an innings or accelerating through the middle overs, with nearly two decades of finishing games at every level. His greatest strength, though, is situational mastery: Shakib has spent a career being the player his team turns to when the game is slipping, and delivering. With 129 T20Is of experience, there is no phase of a match he has not solved before.
Shakib Al Hasan's role at Pokhara Avengers in Season 3
Shakib Al Hasan's role at Pokhara Avengers in Season 3 is the marquee overseas all-rounder — the player the entire squad balance is built around. Expect four overs of left-arm spin in every game, most likely through the middle phase at Kirtipur where his control can strangle innings, and a top-six batting slot where his left-handedness gives Bhurtel a vital middle-order option. Alongside re-signed Dhananjaya Lakshan, he forms half of a dual overseas all-round core that frees the rest of the XI for specialists.
Beyond the numbers, his role is the standard-setter. A dressing room containing Shakib trains differently, prepares differently, and — when the pressure comes in a playoff race — thinks differently. Captain Bhurtel gains an on-field brain with 447 internationals behind it; young players like Sagar Dhakal gain a daily masterclass in spin craft. Pokhara bought Shakib to end two seasons of playoff misses. His Season 3 will be judged on whether the franchise's ceiling moves with him — and history says it usually does.
Shakib Al Hasan at NPL 2026
Season-by-season Nepal Premier League figures for Shakib Al Hasan.
| Season | Team | Matches | Runs | HS | Avg | Wkts | Best |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NPL 2024 (Season 1) | Not publicly available | Not publicly available | Not publicly available | Not publicly available | Not publicly available | Not publicly available | Not publicly available |
| NPL 2025 (Season 2) | Not publicly available | Not publicly available | Not publicly available | Not publicly available | Not publicly available | Not publicly available | Not publicly available |
| NPL 2026 (Season 3) | Pokhara Avengers | Season not yet played | — | — | — | — | — |
Shakib Al Hasan career records
Available senior career figures for Shakib Al Hasan as stated in verified reports.
| Format | Matches | Runs | Wickets | Best bowling | 100s / 50s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Test | 71 | 4,609 | 246 | Not publicly available | Not publicly available |
| ODI | 247 | 7,570 | 317 | Not publicly available | Not publicly available |
| T20I | 129 | 2,551 | 149 | Not publicly available | Not publicly available |
Frequently Asked Questions
Which NPL team does Shakib Al Hasan play for?
Pokhara Avengers, as the marquee overseas signing.
How old is Shakib Al Hasan?
39 at signing, late August 2026.
What are Shakib Al Hasan's international career numbers?
71 Tests, 247 ODIs, 129 T20Is (see career table).
What was Shakib Al Hasan's 2019 World Cup record?
606 runs, 11 wickets — a single-edition record.
Follow Pokhara Avengers
Pokhara Avengers squad lists each player's recruitment status separately. Auction prices apply only to the listed auction transaction; they are not a career salary or a retained-player fee.
Sources
Recruitment details below are drawn from the dated reports linked here; a signing does not guarantee selection or availability for every match.