Bangladesh veteran Shakib Al Hasan finally brought an end to his lean patch as he delivered in a crucial tie against Netherlands in the ongoing T20 World Cup. Ahead of the first time, perhaps for the first time in his career, Shakib saw his place being questioned due to his lean run.
Shakib was struggling with the bat while the old magic was missing from his bowling as well that certainly took a toll on his reputation as it was at stake before he turned it around with a man-of the match display. The left-handed batter, who made an unbeaten 64 coming at number four, earlier made a T20I half-century back in October 2022.
Coming into the Netherlands game, Shakib had scored 8 against Sri Lanka and 3 against South Africa in his last two innings. After the game, Shakib was asked if he has answered the critics finally. “A player never comes to answer any questions,” Shakib shot back. “A player’s job is to bat for the team if he’s a batsman and contribute to the team. If he is a bowler, his job is to bowl well. The wicket is about luck. If he is a fielder, he should save each run and take as many catches as he can. Here, actually, there’s nothing to answer for anyone.
“I think it is important for a current player (to see) how much he can contribute to his team. When he can’t contribute, then naturally there would be discussions and I don’t think it is a bad thing,” he added.
Shakib also stressed on the important of getting two more points in the group stage which has almost sealed their place in the Super 8 stages of the tournament, especially with Sri Lanka getting knocked out. “It was important to get two points, what we have got. Before coming from our country, if anyone had thought that we would get four points in three matches, I think we would have taken that happily. How we won, I don’t think it is that important. You have got 2 points in a stage like the World Cup and you have won the match. This is the most important thing,” he said.
“I don’t think I have ever thought about personal goals. I have always thought about how I can contribute to the team. If I were playing for personal achievement, I would have batted in a different way. I have been able to bat the way I needed to bat for the sake of the team. That is what is satisfying for me.”
Shakib praised young leg spinner Rishad Hossain, who was once again the standout bowler before insisting that the entire bowling unit played its part. “I think he (Rishad) is doing well and as a new player the character he is showing is very good but I feel the whole bowling unit is contributing at different times,” he said. “Different individuals are required at different situation and as everyone is doing their job we are seeing everyone’s contribution like the way Mustafizur is bowling and Taskin and Shakib (Tanzin) bowling with the new ball and these contributions are required for another bowler to do very well with the ball. I think our bowling unit is able to do that job.”
Shakib exuded confidence that his can now defeat Nepal in their final group game to officially seal their spot in the final 8. “I mean the position we are in we should feel the confidence. There is no reason we shouldn’t feel confident,” he said. “So obviously it will be a very important game. And I hope the way we are contributing as a team, performing as a team, we can do the same thing against Nepal.”
