Bangladesh cricket veteran Shakib Al Hasan has finally found his form, delivering a standout performance in a crucial T20 World Cup match against the Netherlands. This comes after a series of lacklustre performances that had many questioning his place in the team for the first time in his illustrious career.
Return to form for Shakib Al Hasan
Shakib al Hasan’s performance against the Netherlands was a decisive response to his critics. The all-rounder scored an unbeaten 64, leading his team to victory.
This was his first T20I half-century since October 2022, marking a significant turnaround in his batting form. Before this match, Shakib had struggled, managing only 8 runs against Sri Lanka and 3 against South Africa in his previous two innings.
When asked if he had finally answered his critics, Shakib responded firmly: “A player never comes to answer any questions. 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… Here, actually, there’s nothing to answer for anyone.”
Crucial points for Bangladesh Cricket Team
The victory over the Netherlands has brought Bangladesh closer to the Super 8 stages of the tournament, especially with Sri Lanka already knocked out.
Shakib emphasised the importance of this win, saying, “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.”
Team Contributions and Praise
Shakib also highlighted the contributions of the entire team, particularly praising young leg-spinner Rishad Hossain. “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,” Shakib said. He noted the collective effort of the bowlers, including Mustafizur Rahman and Taskin Ahmed, as crucial to their success.
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Looking ahead in T20 WC with confidence
With the confidence gained from their recent performances, Shakib is optimistic about Bangladesh’s chances in their final group game against Nepal. “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.”
As Bangladesh prepares for this pivotal match, Shakib’s resurgence could not have come at a better time, giving his team a much-needed boost in their World Cup campaign.
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