Also read: Shakib thanks fans, Mirpur crowd for belief
It was a milestone Test for Shakib as he was playing his 50th Test for Bangladesh. And he definitely owned this Test and made it memorable with a stunning all-round performance. With an overall 89 runs with the bat and 10-153 with the ball, the world’s No 1 all-rounder also made some other records his own in Mirpur. The Magura lad became the second cricketer in the history of Test cricket to claim five-wicket hauls in both innings in an individual player’s 50th Test after New Zealander Sir Richard Hadlee. Australia were well on course for victory after a dominating display in the latter part of day three. They started day four quite convincingly as well, with two of their best batsmen in the crease - David Warner and Steve Smith. And when the team needed him the most, Shakib rose to the occasion.
Also read: Shakib thanks Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for support
Australia batted 40.5 overs on day 4 before being all out and Shakib bowled continuously from one end until the Aussies succumbed to a loss. And the aggression and positive attitude of Shakib kept Bangladesh in the hunt even though things weren’t looking all that bright at one stage as Australia were coasting on 158/2. This is the first time Shakib played against Australia. The last time these two nations played against each other was in 2006. In his first outing against Australia, Shakib became the fourth man in Test history to claim five-wicket hauls against every Test playing nation. The other three bowlers are Muttiah Muralitharan, Dale Steyn and Rangana Herath. Shakib also created a few more records which drew comparisons with legendary cricketers like Sir Ian Botham of England or Sir Hadlee, Kapil Dev of India and Imran Khan of Pakistan. When asked to share his feelings upon being compared with the greats, the left-handed batsman smiled politely and replied in humble fashion.
Also read: Shakib thanks Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for support
“I don’t feel that way. As an all-rounder my job is to contribute for the team in both bowling and batting. I just try to do that on the pitch,” Shakib answered. Australia are generally aggressive on the field and consider such aggression as sporting professionalism. But in this Test Bangladesh battled neck and neck with them in every department – be it ball, bat or on the field, or even playing mind games with the opposition. Such aggression is quite new for Bangladesh but Shakib believes it can be good for the game. “It is part of the game. Australians are very good at it, we are learning from them. It was a good, exciting Test match. These type of matches will encourage people to come and watch more matches. It is good for the game, and I hope it continues in Chittagong,” Shakib told the media during the post-match press conference. “Obviously after this Test match, they will show a lot more respect. In the end, it is different talking to the media and playing on the ground. At home we believe we can beat any side. We had that confidence and the belief came from the last two-three years. Not many have been watching us but we were quietly doing our job,” he concluded.
