Perhaps, the hero for which our cricket was waiting for has arrived. Perhaps, the icon for which our cricket badly needed to lift itself up has arrived. He is proving to be the torch bearer of hope and symbol of victory in
Again
he proved his worth in the fourth one-day international at Mirpur today against
the Kiwis. In the battle for the top allrounder of the world Shakib has beaten
his counterpart Daniel Vettori on all accounts. Shakib’s majestic allround
performance, both with the bat and ball confirmed Bangladesh
the most cherished series win against a top ranked opposition. New
Zealand were left clueless.
At
35 for 3, the Tigers were in the soup and were in need of stability. When the
chips are down, any team always looks towards the captain. The Magura boy
entered into the scene and did what a captain should do.
At
first he resuscitated the damaged innings with a 53-run stand with Imrul Kayes
and then another 51-run stand with Mushfiqur Rahim which met a tragic end due
to some disastrous running between the wicket.
When the initial danger was over Shakib’s bat started to boom as he
flayed some amazing drives through the off-side field with utmost authority. The
spinners were never a scare for Shakib as he played them with ease. With
Mahmudullah Riad, Shakib added another 68 runs to boost the Tigers scoreboard.
He
picked the gaps well and rotated the strike with merit. The run wheels of Bangladesh
kept on moving while the willow of Shakib restored to late dabs and paddle
sweeps in the middle part of the innings. A nicely organized innings met a
happy end as Shakib brought up his fifth ODI hundred in the 41stover.
When
Shakib departed, he had made a foundation for the others to cash on it for a
big score. An innings, which had the worst possible start in the early morning
had been given proper oxygenation and nutrition by the 106 of Shakib Al Hasan. But
sadly, the other batsmen failed to capitalize the good work of their skipper in
the batting Power-play as the Tigers were booked for 241-10 in 48.3 overs.
A few
overs later, Shakib made Aron Redmond walk for the dressing room as he was
given the marching order by the umpires after being trapped lbw. When Vettori
hit a ball outside off straight into cover's hands off the bowling of
Mahmudullah Riad the Kiwis were at bay at 80-5. The match was almost there for
the Tigers for the taking.
But
the young Kane Williamson stood steady and was determined to prove a point and
kept one end going. With Elliot., he put up a stand of 70 runs and when the
seventh wicket fell at 172, Williamson picked up another 53-run stand with
Nathan McCullum – an almost dead game came into life.
24
runs were needed of 12 balls with Williamson and McCullum looking in ominous
touch. Bangladesh
needed a breakthrough and enters the skipper Shakib again. Like the first ODI
his left-arm spinners struck gold for the Tigers again in the end overs.
First
it was Nathan McCullum who came down and leg scooped Shakib in the air and fell
short of the fielder, but an excellent throw from the deep by Naeem hit the
stumps to beat McCullum's effort to earn two runs.
Then
Tuffey holed out for a golden duck as Bangladesh
were on the verge of a historic moment. Shakib finished figures of 3 for 54 in
10 overs, the second of his scalp being Grant Elliot.
In
the 50thover Shafiul Islam removed the centurian Williamson who showed enough
guts to score a gallant 108. Williamson tried to repeat the stroke which
fetched him a boundary in the previous delivery, could only pick out the deep
midwicket fielder Rakibul Hasan this time. Bangladesh
took a 3-0 lead with just one ODI to go.
It’s
for the first time that Bangladesh
have won three ODIs in a row against a higher ranked team in international
cricket. The Tigers had aimed higher and their strong determination has paid
off and it was all possible due to one man’s timely thoughts and efforts –
Shakib Al Hasan.
Thank
You
Faisal
Caesar
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