DHAKA, June 26, 2019 (BSS) -Bangladesh former left-arm spinner Abdur Razzak was impressed with Shakib Al Hasan’s unbelievable improvement as the ace all-rounder continues to amaze the rest of the world by making and smashing records after record in the ongoing World Cup.
Shakib created two new chapters in World Cup record book, by being a first player to score more than 400 runs and 10 wickets simultaneously while he became the first player to amass 1000+ runs and 30+ wickets.
The Bangladesh talisman currently is the third spot in batting chart with 476 runs, behind only Australian duo David Warner (500) and Aaron Finch (496). But he would get his chance to reclaim the top position when Bangladesh takes on India on July 2 in Birmingham.
“It’s amazing what Shakib Al Hasan is doing, it’s just unbelievable batting,” Razzak wrote in a column for International Cricket Council (ICC).
Shakib had to spend most of the time in bench during his stint with Sunrisers Hyderabd in this year’s IPL due to team combination. But he used the time with hard and methodical practice which paid off in the World Cup. “Shakib has improved a lot because he was dropped in the Indian Premier League and had to practise really hard. Importantly, he knew what needed to improve – and he did it,” Razzak said.
Razzak believes Shakib has the talent to be one of the best batsmen in the world.
“As well as being a fantastic all-rounder, Shakib also has the potential to be one of the best batsmen in the world. When he started, he was a batting all-rounder, but after that he steadily started to improve his bowling as well,” he added.
The former left-arm spinner, from whom Shakib took the responsibility of Bangladesh’s spin department hailed the partnership between Shakib and Mushfiqur Rahim.
“His partnership with Mushfiqur Rahim has been particularly strong in this ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup. A good understanding is really important when building partnerships, and they’ve been playing for such a long time together that they now know each other inside-out,” he remarked.
Razzak also heaped shower of praise on Mushfiqur, who so far amassed 327 runs, with two half-century and one century and only 160 runs away to be the second Bangladeshi batsman to amass 1000 runs in World Cup after Shakib.
“Both (Shakib and Mushfiqur) are fighters, mentally strong and also smart cricketers too. It’s a partnership that works well,” he said.
“It was obviously a wonderful performance by the team against Afghanistan, but especially Shakib. “Watching the game, and indeed other matches in the competition, it’s clear to see some similarities between this Afghanistan team and Bangladesh when they were starting out.
“Like us, their strong point is spin, while the level of performance is also similar to Bangladesh from the past.
“Everyone was saying before the game that Afghanistan had superior bowlers to us, but I didn’t particularly agree.
“In truth, I was expecting a performance like this from the Bangladeshi spinners. Everyone knows that if the pitch is turning, Shakib and Mehidy are dangerous, and so it proved.”