Shakib on a high
It never really hurts an all-rounder to have an off-day. If he fails with the bat, there's always bowling. If both do not click and if he happens to be a good fielder, the contribution never ceases in any way.
But Shakib Al Hasan is having the sort of Test match that most all-rounders dream of.
He puts the team in command with a seven-wicket haul, takes the catch of the year and then the next day, he coolly bails his side out with a fantastic half-century.
Only Mohammad Rafique and Mashrafe Bin Mortaza have done anything close to this before. Rafique took five for 65 and scored 69 against Zimbabwe in 2004-05 while Mashrafe saved Bangladesh from follow-on last year against India with a blazing 79, after taking four for 97.
Whatever he is called, a batting, bowling or even a spinning all-rounder, Shakib has weighed in with his solo effort.
“I am a batsman for today,” he said with a smile.
“When I was walking off (after scoring 71), I thought that I should have said thirty more yesterday,” he added while recalling his statement to the journalists that he prefers a 70 more than five wickets.
Shakib smashed twelve boundaries, of which three were consecutively swept between the mid-on and mid-wicket arc off Jeetan Patel, in his 151-ball essay that literally pulled Bangladesh from the brink of another collapse and placed them in a good position.
“If we can take all the chances that come our way, we might even win,” said Shakib.
The all-rounder who bowls more than handy left-arm spin took away the best bowling figures in Test cricket for Bangladesh, overtaking Enamul Haque's 7 for 95 after snaring Iain O'Brien first thing in the morning.
But his words would suggest that all this was just an added bonus.
“I never thought about my bowling that much. I think it is something like God's gift since I don't really practice it too much. I put all my concentration on my batting,” said the left-hander. “Maybe one day I will find the significance of that effort but as of right now, I don't really understand it,” added Shakib.
He shared a significant 56-run stand with Mushfiqur Rahim, who is making a name for himself by rescuing the Tigers.
The young wicketkeeper-batsman said that Shakib's performance did not really surprise him but he was happy that his teammate came back among the runs.
“He bowled well in the one-dayers but wasn't in touch with the bat. It is good to see him show good form,” said Mushfiqur.
Comments