5 reasons why Shakib Al Hasan is the best player to emerge from Bangladesh
The second Test match of Bangladesh’s tour of Sri Lanka. Around three overs left in the second day’s play and replying to the Islanders’ sizeable 338, the Tigers have lost three quick wickets to stumble from 192 for 2 to 198 for 5. The man who walks onto the pitch is their most experienced batsman.
What is he expected to do? To play out the overs safely without taking any risks, right? But this is Shakib Al Hasan.
He faces eight balls and scores 18 runs, surviving a scare in between. The next day, though, when everybody is after his head, the southpaw scores an exquisite century to give his side the advantage.
This is Shakib Al Hasan. The 2nd ranked all-rounder in Test cricket and the best in limited overs format. Over the years, there have been many talented players representing Bangladesh. The likes of Habibul Bashar, Mohammed Ashraful and Tamim Iqbal have enthralled the Bangladeshi cricket fans.
However, Shakib has overshadowed them all. Here are five reasons attesting to that.
#5 Success outside the subcontinent
Players from the sub-continent have found success inside the sub-continent, in general. But many have failed to make an impact outside – in foreign conditions. They fail to acclimatise – the batsmen fail to cope with the swing and pace of the wicket while the spinners fail to extract spin from the wicket.
Shakib, however, is a different breed.
Not only has he found success in county cricket, the Caribbean Premier League, and in the KFC Twenty20 Big Bash but he did so for the national side as well.
In fact, his first ODI century came against Canada (granted, not the strongest of oppositions but still) in St. John's, Antigua and Barbuda. In Test cricket as well, his first hundred came against New Zealand in the windy conditions of Hamilton. Most recently, he scored his maiden double hundred in Wellington, against the Kiwis in what was a magnificent innings.
As a bowler too Shakib has made the most of the unfavourable conditions. His first three five-wicket hauls in Test cricket came abroad while his only five-wicket haul in ODIs was in Zimbabwe.