ZCZC
BSP-09
CRICKET-SHAKIB-TAMIM
Nothing to be panicked if Shakib doesn’t excel at No. 3: Tamim
DHAKA, May 21, 2021 (BSS)—Bangladesh ODI skipper Tamim Iqbal believes that there is nothing to be panicked if Shakib Al Hasan doesn’t excel at No.3 in the three-match ODI series against Sri Lanka, like the way he did in the 2019 World Cup.
Shakib scored 606 runs at this position with two centuries and five half-centuries in eight matches, a thing that would be very difficult to replicate, according to Tamim Iqbal.
But Tamim said he would be the happiest person if Shakib could play in the same vein the way he played in the World Cup.
“Expectations will certainly be higher. But we have to keep in mind, what Shakib has done in the World Cup is exceptional,” Tamim said here today during a virtual press conference.
“Personally I want him to play like the way he batted in the World Cup. However, it is not possible in every match. A player has scored 600 runs in 8-9 matches, which is not what we usually see. … but there is nothing to be tensed. I’m sure he’ll do well. Number one, he did well here. He will continue that.”
Even though Shakib always preferred to bat at No. 3 position, senior players like Tamim Iqbal and team management were against it, considering the fact that Shakib’s presence rather would boost the middle order if he bats at No.5 or six position.
However at the insistence of the then captain Mashrafe Bin Mortaza, Shakib got the opportunity to bat at No.3 in World Cup and the rest was the history.
After the World Cup, Shakib was banned for two-year, with one year of that suspended by ICC due to his failure to report the corrupt approaches from the bookies. Thereafter he made an International comeback with the three-match ODI series against West Indies but didn’t get his No.3 position back as the team management wanted Nazmul Hossain Shanto to be groomed up in this position.
While Shakib couldn’t excel at other place, Shanto also couldn’t make the opportunity count. However after returning to professional cricket, Shakib also couldn’t show anything worthy as the standard he set for himself and even at IPL, he was just of his shadow.
But still considering his impact, his favoured position was given back as Tamim made it clear. In the inter-squad practice game at BKSP, Shakib batted at No.3 position and scored 28 off 20.
“But it is also important to keep in mind that if you just think about the World Cup, that 600 runs, cricket is a little difficult to play in this way. If not, there’s nothing to panic about, I definitely won’t be panicked,” Tamim reminded.
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