Rangpur Riders won yet another close match as the Shakib al Hasan-led side jumped to the top of the BPL table with three wins out of four. Shakib said the win was very important for them heading into the second phase in Chittagong as they now have a strong chance of finishing in the top two before the eliminators.
Shakib batted out of his nature as he slowed down his pace in accumulating 33 runs from 37 balls which helped his side cross the 100-run mark. For the second game in a row Shakib’s all-round performance proved crucial in the end as he said, “I started well, but slowed down because wickets started falling from the other end. I was able to bat for a longer period which is a good thing for me and here onwards only good things can happen.
“The wickets are not getting rest, so it’s natural that the curator does not get enough time to prepare them. We also batted poorly; 130-135 is where we were looking at.”
With only seven required off the last over, Shakib handed the ball to inexperienced seamer Abu Jayed before boosting his confidence with a mini-speech that Shakib later revealed. “Look, you have nothing to lose but you will be a hero if you win the match,” is what I told him and, “He eventually did it.”
Shakib scooped the car awarded to the man of the tournament in the last two editions. When asked if he is eyeing another such feat, Shakib showed his humorous side and said, “Actually not seeing a car (at the field) like the last two editions. May be I would have been encouraged if it was there.”
