Every Wednesday, the International Cricket Council (ICC) revises the rankings of individuals and teams. The rankings are updated on this particular day of the week, unless there is an exemption or a significant competition is in progress. This Wednesday, November 20, the organisation revised the ranks in accordance with the regulations. The ‘ranking-continuity’ of Shakib Al Hasan was similar to that of the cricket council.

Shakib Al Hasan’s name used to be at the top of the all-rounder rankings at the end of the week, regardless of how well the cricket player batted and bowled individually. This all-rounder was ‘allotted’ the top slot in the ODI and T20 rankings for years on end, not just for a couple of weeks, four months, or six months.
But all of this has now happened. In fact, Shakib’s name is no longer even listed in the ICC’s ODI and T20 rankings.

Shakib intended to play his final Test match at home, but he said goodbye to Test cricket in India. Shakib hoped to play in the final Test match against South Africa in Mirpur last October, but he was unable to do so because of unforeseen circumstances. Shakib’s name is listed first in the Test standings, though. Although Shakib is not in ODIs or T20s, he was a dominant all-round player in both forms for a considerable amount of time.

A cricket player can typically start at the top of the rankings and move up, but he can also drop back to the bottom if he plays poorly. However, Shakib’s name does not appear in the T20 or ODI rankings. He has been dropped, as is well known.

There are three grounds for removing a cricket player from the ICC rankings. a prohibition or expulsion. For instance, Shakib was given a two-year ban (with a one-year suspension) by the ICC in November 2019 for hiding a gambler’s offer. Shakib’s name was removed from the rankings at that point. He has never been removed from the ranks other from this.

Only the Test rankings now include Shakib’s name. He last played in the Kanpur Test against India in September of last year. Following that Test, the Bangladeshi squad played a home Test match against South Africa and a Twenty20 series against India. Finally, they played Afghanistan in an ODI series in the United Arab Emirates this month. These did not include Shakib. So why if he is not in the Test rankings, is he not in the ODI and T20 rankings?

Retirement is one of the three main explanations for getting removed from the rankings. In a news conference prior to the Kanpur Test last September, Shakib claimed to have participated in the final game of this version during the T20 World Cup in June. He will therefore never again play 20-over international cricket. In essence, Shakib’s retirement has caused his name to be deleted from the T20 standings.

Shakib did not, however, stop playing ODIs. After competing in the 2025 Champions Trophy, he stated that he would retire from 50-over cricket. His extended absence is the cause of his exclusion from this edition’s rankings. The third reason is this.

Emphasising the present is the rankings’ primary motto. More weight is given to a player’s recent performance than to his previous one. Twelve to fifteen months are taken into consideration while ranking tests. It lasts nine to twelve months in ODIs and T20s. A person’s name is eliminated from the ranking if they don’t play for more than this.

The ODI rankings no longer include Shakib’s name. His most recent appearance in this tournament was against Sri Lanka in Delhi on November 6, 2023. Shakib’s name has been absent from the rankings for a year. But when he last played an ODI, his name was at the top!