All-rounder Sakib al Hasan is in a two-way battle respectively with team-mates Mashrafee bin Murtza and Tamim Iqbal as far as individual performance is concerned during the ongoing one-day international series against Zimbabwe. The prolific cricketer is jointly country’s second highest wicket taker along with Mashrafee (175 wickets), though the latter is one international wicket ahead that he picked for Asian XI.
Sakib, who is already the leading scorer for Bangladesh with 3,936, put Tamim 107 runs behind thanks to his 101 off 99 balls in Friday’s first one-dayer.
The talismanic all-rounder, who is in a stunning form since he returned to the national team after serving out a ban, now requires just 64 runs to become the first Bangladeshi score 4,000 ODI runs.
If morning shows the day, then it can only be safely assumed that Sakib still has a lot to achieve in the series where he also claimed four wickets apart from a century.
Four years ago in 2010 when Sakib deputised Mashrafee in a series against New Zealand like this series he almost single-handedly led Bangladesh to 4-0 series win.
Over the years many things have changed in Bangladesh cricket but Sakib still remained their most dependable cricketer helping the side breaking the duck in 2014 with his brilliant individual show.
Sakib, only the 12th cricketer in history to score a century and take four wickets in single ODI, said he has now become more matured as a cricketer than the past.
‘Maturity is important,’ said the all-rounder after the first match. ‘I think that works inside me. I have to continue, not just a match or two. I think from now on, I can’t make any mistakes.
‘When I think of my career that has gone by, there is a bit of regret. I didn’t bat as well back then as I am doing today.
‘I thought that if I used my head a little more, maybe I could have scored 500-1000 runs more in Tests and ODIs,’ he said.
Another aspect that still haunts Sakib is his inability to pick up any five-for in ODI’s and his desperation for it in the first ODI only indicated that he can very well achieve it in the series.
Sakib’s influence in the opening game was so enormous that it left opponents Zimbabwe also in awe.
‘He makes a big difference,’ said Zimbabwe’s ODI captain Elton Chigumbura.
‘He is a class player and the credit goes to him. I think any team will love to have a guy like Sakib because it brings a balance in the team.
The competition that he is facing from two of his team-mates can only help him reach the next level.
-With New Age input
