Sports Reporter

Upon his return from London yesterday, Bangladesh allrounder Shakib Al Hasan told reporters that his threat to quit Test and ODI cricket was

made to coach Chandika Hathurusingha out of anger. The left-hander further said that it was a misunderstanding between him and the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) that led to him leaving without a noobjection certificate to take part in the Caribbean Premier League (CPL), set to begin later this month.

Describing the national team as a family Shakib said, "The way I see it, if you fight with your parents you may not eat for two days, but that does not mean that you won't stay. I was angry and I said a few things that I shouldn't have, but I said sorry and he accepted that as well. There are no hard feelings. 1 will play for Bangladesh for the next ten years if God wills," he added.

The disagreement arose when Hathurusingha had asked Shakib to return to Bangladesh, following his stint in the CPL by July 31 and join Bangladesh's training camp before the Tigers' tour of the West Indies, which begins on August 20.

The left-hander however tried to negotiate the terms.

"I tried to reason with him. I tried to tell him that from July 31 there would only be ten days until the team left for the West Indies. He told me that this is a team game and asked me to join the camp. He showed his logic and I showed mine. At the end of the day it went his way," said Shakib.

On Friday, an enraged BCB president

Nazmul Hassan Papon told the media that Shakib had threatened to quit Test and ODI cricket; a piece of information he received from Hathurusingha via a letter.

Regarding his decision to leave without receiving the NOC, Shakib said, "Along with Tamim Iqbal, I had taken an NOC for the

match in England (bicentennial celebrations). There was a chance of me playing that match. I thought that the NOC I received for that match included the NOC for the Caribbean Premier League because the events are scheduled close by.

"I had mainly come to the board (on July 1) to enquire about my NOC for the Big Bash. That's when I got to know that I did not have the NOC for the CPL. I was asked to contact the CEO. He in turn asked me to contact Akram Bhai. He asked me to continue with my travelling plans. He said that he would sign the NOC once I returned to Dhaka."

Akram however, had a different statement. "I did tell him that I have no problem with him leaving. However, I asked him to go through the CEO since it is he who has to sign the NOC," Akram told The Daily Star.

"On the morning of my journey I received a call from operations asking me not to go without an NOC. After that I called the CEO and the president, both of whom I could not get through to. I figured that since I had an approval from Akram Bhai, things would be okay once I reached London," said Shakib.

"However, once I reached London I received a mail asking me to come back. I never expected the problem to stretch this far. I e-mailed back and apologised, caught the next flight and returned," he added.