DHAKA, June 13, 2019 (BSS) – This World Cup seemed to turn out to be a milestone tournament for Bangladesh ace all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan.
He reached the milestone of 5000 runs and 250 wickets as the fifth cricketer of the world when he claimed the wicket of Aiden Markram in Bangladesh’s first match of the World Cup against South Africa.
He achieved the feat faster than the other four cricketers-Sanath Jayasuirya, Abdul Razzak, Shahid Afridi and Jacques Kallis-who also hold this rare record.
Thereafter when Bangladesh played their second match of this World Cup against New Zealand, Shakib became the third Bangladeshi cricketer to play 200th ODI.
In Bangladesh’s third match against England, he became the only second Bangladeshi cricketer to hit a World Cup century after Mahmudullah Riyad. By hitting 121 off 119, Shakib also became the first Bangladeshi cricketer to hit three fifty plus score in a row in World Cup.
Bangladesh’s fourth match against Sri Lanka was washed out due to heavy rain, which only could prevent Shakib from reaching some more milestones. Shakib however was also uncertain in the side’s match against Sri Lanka because of a thigh strain sustained during the match against England.
He went through scan which revealed nothing serious and the team management expected that the ace all-rounder will play Bangladesh’s next match against West Indies on June 17 at Taunton.
In the coming days at Taunton ground may witness another Shakib milestone. With 260 runs with two half-centuries and one century, Shakib currently is the highest scorer in this World Cup.
His overall tally of runs currently stands 5977 and he is just 23 runs shy of reaching the milestone of 6000 runs. Given the form, it should not be a very difficult task for Shakib to score those runs and become the only second Bangladesh batsman after Tamim Iqbal, who is currently the country’s highest scorer in ODI format with 6695 runs.
However Shakib couldn’t take any wicket during the match against England to complement his century. If he was able to do that, he could eclipse Pakistan’s legendary leg-spinner Mushtaq Ahmed to place him ninth position in all time great wicket-taker of World Cup amongst the spinners.
Shakib so far took three wickets, including 2-47 against New Zealand which took his wicket-tally to 26, the same number of wicket that Mushtaq also got.
Shakib took those 26 wickets at economy rate of 5.08 with the average of 38.11. Mushtaq’s average is just 21.11 and he conceded 4.11 runs per over. Though both of them got same number of wickets, Shakib is placed at 10th, because Mushtaq played less number of matches.
However if Shakib gets a wicket against West Indies in next match he will surpass Mushtaque and joins Sanath Jayasuirya who has 27 wickets under his belt.
As usually Sri Lanka’s legendary off-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan is in the top place with 68 wickets from 40 matches.
Most World Cup wickets for spinners
1. Muttiah Muralitharan (Sri Lanka)-68 wickets (40 matches)
2. Daniel Vettori (New Zealand)-36 wickets (32 matches)
3. Brad Hogg (Australia)-34 wickets (21 matches)
4. Imran Tahir (South Africa)-33 wickets (17 matches)
5. Shane Warne (Australia)-32 wickets (17 matches)
6. Anil Kumble (India)-31 wickets (18 matches)
7. Shahid Afridi (Pakistan)-30 wickets (27 matches)
8. Sanath Jayasuriya (Sri Lanka)-27 wickets (38 matches)
9. Mushtaq Ahmed (Pakistan)-26 wickets (15 matches)
10.Shakib Al Hasan (Bangladesh)-26 wickets (24 matches)