'Let's just keep going like this'
Despite Shakib Al Hasan's all-round performance, including a maiden five-wicket haul in T20Is, that led the Tigers to a series-levelling 36-run win in the second T20I against the West Indies, there was a sense of anger about the champion cricketer yesterday. The first words that the T20I skipper and man-of-the-match said before the start of the post match press conference were: "First of all there is an announcement. I won't be available for press conferences for the next match as promised by the media manager. In fact I won't even interact before the third game." The excerpts of the lively media interaction are given below:
Question (Q): You suffered a blow to your toe before the first T20I and were also ill before the second game. Is it that you want to play despite illness or that the team management urged you to play?
Shakib Al Hasan (SAH): I am still sick. Everyone thinks that Shakib is meant to play. Is there anyone who thinks I won't play?
Q: Liton Das and Soumya Sarkar provided a good start which was followed by you and Mahmudullah. Do you think this should be the template to win a T20 game?
SAH: There are no fixed rules to win a T20 match. I think we had a good day and I think overall we had a very good game. Liton started off well and Soumya continued well followed by Riyad bhai and I. I think our batting did the main job. Our batsman took a lesson from the previous game.
Q: Your take on your own bowling since you just mentioned that the main job was done by the batsmen?
SAH: How would I judge my own bowling? It's you guys who will talk about it. Obviously it was difficult for the spinners but Mehedi also bowled well.
Q: Your feelings on taking five wicket?
SAH: Obviously it feels good if anything happens for the first time. I am happy. I think bowling-wise this performance will be right among the top.
Q: There was a sense of disappointment from you after the defeat in the first game during the post-match presentation. What was your message before the second game?
SAH: There was no message for the team as I did not speak to anyone after that. The thing is I did not blame our batters. There was nothing negative. You guys won't say the whole thing and only focus on the negatives as people like whenever there is any negative news about me. I like it too and I think these things somehow inspire me to play well.
Q: Were you inspired for the same reason today [yesterday] to play well?
SAH: Whenever such situations occur, Allah gifts me something like this... I was told by the media manager that I would be asked only seven questions.
Q: Talking about the negatives. Is that you don't understand us or we don't get you?
SAH: I don't know. I actually don't think in such a way but it has been going on like this for the past 10-12 years. Let's just keep going like this.
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