Shakib Al Hasan: Record breaker, difference maker
Shakib enjoyed a history making month in July as Bangladesh enjoyed victories in all three formats against Zimbabwe.
“His performances across all formats during the month showed a superb level of consistency and skill”, ICC Voting Academy Member and journalist Elizabeth Ammon said.
We look back on Shakib's memorable July.
BY THE NUMBERS
One Test
Three runs at 3.00. Five wickets at 25.2.
Three ODIs145 runs at 72.50 with a strike rate of 82.38. High score of 96*
Eight wickets at 14.75 with an economy of 3.95. Best figures of 5/30
Three T20Is
37 runs at 18.50 with a strike rate of 160.86. High score of 25.
Three wickets at 28 with an economy of 7.00. Best figures of 1/24.
KEY WITH THE BALL IN THE TEST
While Shakib had a lean time with the bat in the one-off Test against Zimbabwe, he was still crucial to Bangladesh’s victory, taking five wickets in the match.
The hosts had enjoyed a strong start to their innings after Bangladesh were bowled out for 468, with Takudzwanashe Kaitano and Milton Shumba putting on 61 runs for the opening stand. It took a classical bit of spin bowling from Shakib to end the stand, with the all-rounder drawing an ill-advised sweep from Shumba with a flighted full delivery that beat him in the air to trap him in front for 41.
He struck again to remove Dion Myers, caught sweeping on 27, and had a third man – Timycen Maruma (0) – out playing the same shot on his way to figures of 4/82 as Zimbabwe were bowled out for 276.
He only took one wicket in Zimbabwe’s second innings, but it was an important one as he removed the stubborn Kaitano for 7 off 102 balls to help Bangladesh on their way to a 220-run win.
THRIVING WITH THE BAT IN ODI CRICKET
Batting at first drop against Zimbabwe, Shakib averaged 72.50 as Bangladesh took out the series 3-0 and moved to second on theICC Cricket World Cup Super League standings with 80 points.
The southpaw was at the heart of Bangladesh’s tightest win of the series, scoring an unbeaten 96 off 109 deliveries to help the Tigers to a three-wicket victory with just five balls to spare. Chasing a target of 241 to win, Bangladesh were in trouble throughout the chase, limping from 50/3 to 145/6 to 173/7. Holding his nerve throughout was Shakib, eventually seeing them home in the company of No.9 Mohammad Saifuddin, who was the team’s next highest scorer with 28.
It was a busy innings from Shakib, who scored the bulk of his runs between the wickets, hitting eight boundaries.
STARRING WITH THE BALL TO MAKE HISTORY
Alongside his efforts with the bat with the bat, Shakib thrived with the ball.
In the series opener, where he made 19 with the bat, he became the country’s greatest ever wicket-taker in ODI cricket. The left-arm finger-spinner claimed his third ODI five-for that match but it was with the first scalp that he broke the national wicket-taking record, having Brendan Taylor caught at short fine leg.
With 277 wickets to his name, the 34-year-old now has the 300-mark firmly in his sights. When he gets there, he will be just the third ODI player to ever take 300 wickets and score more than 6000 ODI runs – he currently has 6600 runs at 37.93 – after Shahid Afridi (8064 runs, 395 wickets) and Sanath Jayasuriya (13,430 runs, 323 wickets).
He went on to take 5/30 to help seal a 155-run win in the series opener, following that up with 2/42 and 1/46.