Following an investigation into his bowling behaviour during his lone appearance for Surrey in the County Championship last season, Shakib, 37, was banned from bowling in England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) events. The suspension was later confirmed to apply to all domestic cricket competitions outside of Bangladesh as well as international cricket by the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB).

Shakib failed a reassessment in Chennai, India, last month, but the BCB declared on Saturday that he is still qualified to play as a specialist hitter in all cricket formats. Bangladesh must now choose whether to include Shakib as a lone batsman in their 15-man team for the 50-over competition, despite Shakib's prior declaration that he intends to retire from international cricket following the Champions Trophy in March.