Premier Bangladesh all-rounder Shakib al Hasan just keeps on getting better and better.
Returning to international cricket having served a reduced three-month suspension due to indiscipline, Shakib took very little time re-establishing his authority in world cricket. His exploits with the bat and ball against Zimbabwe guided Bangladesh to only their third Test series victory and their fifth and sixth wins in five-day cricket.
His latest all-round performance steered Bangladesh to a 162-run win in the fifth and final day of the second Test match at Sheikh Abu Naser Stadium in Khulna yesterday. En route to the victory, the left-arm all-rounder created and broke a host of records.
In the first innings, Shakib struck a crucial 137, the highest score by a Bangladeshi batsman against Zimbabwe in Tests.
As far as bowling is concerned, Shakib scalped five wickets for 80 runs in the first innings. In doing so, he became one of only a few cricketers to have scored a century and grab a five-wicket haul in the same Test match. Little did he know that he would better this particular record in the second innings.
Although Shakib failed with the willow in the second innings having scored only six runs, he came back harder with the ball. His 5/44 was largely responsible for Bangladesh’s convincing victory in the final day of the second Test.
The man-of-the-match award was, of course, a foregone conclusion.
Shakib’s match figures of 10/124 was only the second instance of a Bangladeshi bowler picking up 10 wickets in a Test match. Enamul Haque Jr is the only other cricketer with a five-wicket haul in Tests.
A hundred and a 10-wicket haul in the same Test are few and far between. In fact, only two cricketers – former Pakistan captain Imran Khan and former England captain Sir Ian Botham – have been able to achieve the feat. Now, Shakib finds himself beside these legendary cricketers.
When asked to describe his feelings upon finding himself in the same bracket as Sir Ian and Imran, Shakib said he is elated and expressed his ultimate delight.
“The names that you (media) just mentioned are great players. It is great to be with them. I have my name there which makes me feel good,” Shakib told the media in the post-match press conference yesterday.
“However, my job is to contribute for the team and perform as good as possible for my country,” he said.
“Today’s (yesterday) five-wicket haul was very important,” he said referring to his 5/44 in the second innings, his 14th five-wicket haul in Tests.
“They had only two-and-a-half sessions to bat out. Taking wickets are difficult on this pitch. If we think that way it was really important,” he explained.
