Ace all-rounder Sakib al Hasan achieved another remarkable feat on Wednesday when he became the fastest man to reach 4000 runs and pick 200 wickets in one-day internationals.
Sakib joined Sri Lanka’s Sanath Jayasuriya, South Africa’s Jacques Kallis, Pakistan’s Shahid Afridi and Abdul Razzaq and New Zealand duo Chris Harris and Chris Cairns to achieve the rare double.
However, with 156 matches, Sakib achieved it faster than anyone else with Pakistan’s Razzaq holding the previous record reaching the double in his 204th ODI.
The magnitude of Sakib’s achievement can be comprehended as Kallis, regarded as one of the best all-rounders reached the milestone in 223 matches, 67 more matches than Sakib.
Sakib also become the second Bangladeshi to pick 200 wickets in ODI after Abdur Razzak when he forced South African skipper Hashim Amla to edge a catch to wicketkeeper Mushfiqur Rahim.
During the World Cup Sakib reached the landmark of reaching 4000 runs when he scored 63 runs at the Manuka Oval in Canberra.
He was the first Bangladeshi to reach the milestone and he had a personal battle with opener Tamim Iqbal who reached the same feat in the next Bangladesh match.
Sakib had a similar race en route to his 200 wickets with his captain Mashrafee bin Murtaza and won the race this time too, though Mashrafee took little time to join him by getting rid of David Miller after rain break in the same match.
The race to 200 was anticipated for sometimes and before the series Sakib has 198 wickets and Mashrafee had 197. Mashrafee equalled Sakib in the first ODI and then went ahead of him in the second match with his 1-17 and Sakib remaining wicketless in both the matches.
Left-arm spinner Abdur Razzak is the leading ODI wicket-taker for Tigers with 207 scalps, but with him nowhere in the selection radar, both of them have a golden opportunity to overtake him in the coming days.
Even Bangladeshi bowling coach Heath Streak anticipated the race and commented before the series that ‘It would be pleasing if Mashrafee and Sakib reach the milestone in the same match.’
Mashrafe started his career five years earlier than Sakib and played 38 matches before the debut of the later but played only 157 games in his injury-plagued career.
Even Sakib’s debut match, the final match of the five-match series against Zimbabwe back on 2006 at Harare Sports club, was missed by the fast bowler due to injury.
By the time Sakib became the best all-rounder in the world in all three formats Mashrafee faced some grave injuries and made several comebacks. He has not played any Test match since 2009, missed the World Cup at home in 2011 and reduced his pace.
But the talisman not only kept his position as the leader of the pace bowlers in shorter version cricket but also his leadership is one of main reasons to lift Bangladesh in the cricket world.
-With New Age input
