Shakib Al Hasan is all set to make his Big Bash debut today when the Adelaide Strikers will take on Sydney Sixers at Adelaide. Shakib, the first player of Bangladesh to play in Australian domestic T20 tournament, replaced the Strikers skipper Johan Botha, who was out of the tournament with thumb injury.
“Obviously it would have been great to play Australia, England and South Africa more often,” Shakib told the Herald Sun Sport. “That would give us experience and allow us to adjust to the conditions because the subcontinent is very different to here, England or South Africa.”
Bangladesh’s first player to score 2000 Test runs and took 100 wickets, Shakib, has never featured in a Test series against Australia but says it is crucial for the 10-ranked Test side’s development to have regular contact with established nations. Bangladesh visited Australia twice- in 2003 for a full series and in 2008 for a three-match ODI series in which Shakib was the part of the team.
Shakib thought his good performance in the Big Bash would open the gate for his countryman also.
“I had been watching the Big Bash games at home. I am looking forward to playing, very excited. It is a great honour for me and Bangladesh cricket,” he said.
“I hope that in time there will be many more Bangladesh cricketers playing here.”
Shakib was Bangladesh’s leading performer as a rookie during the three-match one-day series against Australia in Darwin during 2008 and enjoys conditions here. Shakib took four wickets and made 53 runs in that series.
“Adelaide is a spinning track and flat so there will be lots of runs. I have to contain with the ball and score runs for the team,” said Al Hasan.
Shakib is also renowned for composed left-arm spin and sure batting – underlined by a lucrative Indian Premier League contract with Kolkata Knight-Riders.
“I did play with some big names and it is the biggest T20 tournament so I had some great experiences,” said Shakib on a Kolkata list last year that included Australian keeper Brad Haddin and South African legend Jacques Kallis.
“I have been playing for the national team for seven years and most of the time I bowl in the powerplay and bat at the crucial time so that is what I have learned and that is what I would love to do for Adelaide.”
-With The Independent input
