In a rare but increasingly accepted T20 strategy, MI Emirates tactically retired out Shakib Al Hasan during their ILT20 clash against Sharjah Warriors on Sunday, even though the all-rounder remained unbeaten at the crease.
Shakib walked in after the third wicket fell in the 12th over and hit his first boundary off the third ball he faced. By the end of the 16th over, he had scored 16 off 12 balls, striking two boundaries. Moments later, he left the field voluntarily, with commentators confirming it was a tactical retirement ordered by the team. MI Emirates were 129 for 4 at that point.
Captain Kieron Pollard replaced him and hit a boundary first ball before being dismissed on the next delivery.
Earlier, MI Emirates had opted to bat despite losing the toss. Jonny Bairstow (37 off 24), Nicholas Pooran (5 off 12), and Mohammad Wasim (39 off 29) were the first three players dismissed.
Shakib, who arrived after Wasim’s dismissal, looked steady—cutting Sikandar Raza for four and lofting Rashid Khan over cover for another boundary—but could not accelerate further.
Tactical retirements, once extremely rare, have grown more common in modern T20 cricket. The trend gained major attention in the 2022 IPL when Ravichandran Ashwin was tactically retired out by Rajasthan Royals, a move that has since influenced franchise leagues globally.
MI Emirates finished with 185–8 at the end of their innings.
Bd-pratidin English/ Jisan
