Taskin is one of the leaders now: Shakib

Bangladesh Test and T20I skipper Shakib Al Hasan heaped praise on pace spearhead Taskin Ahmed, saying that the pacer has now assumed the role of a leader in the pace department since the departure of the country's most iconic cricketing figure -- Mashrafe Bin Mortaza.

It was Taskin who had set the tone for the Tigers' nine-run victory against the Netherlands in their T20 World Cup opener on Monday. The right-arm quick scalped wickets off the first two balls of the innings to push the Dutch on the backfoot in their chase of a competitive 145-run target. 

"He is one of the leaders now after Mashrafe's exit. He has done tremendously well for last 2-3 years for Bangladesh. He is leading by example," said skipper Shakib on the eve of the Tigers' next Super 12 fixture, against South Africa in Sydney tomorrow.

Taskin returned career-best figures of four for 25 and was rightly adjudged player of the match for his efforts. Aside from Taskin, young right-arm pacer Hasan Mahmud also impressed in the game against the Netherlands. Mahmud was quick and precise and ended up with figures of two for 15 in four overs, including a maiden.    

And captain Shakib pinned hopes on the Tigers' pace department to carry their form throughout the tournament in the land down under.  

"Having said that, we have got a very good group of fast bowlers in all three formats. And they are doing really well. I can't be more proud by the way they have improved themselves and have come this far. And the results are showing this now. I hope they continue this form for the rest of the tournament and I am sure we will have a very good World Cup," Shakib added. 

In regards to changes that might be made in the eleven in the upcoming matches, Shakib said the team management will be open to options and decide the eleven based on the condition and the opposition's strengths.  

"We do not want to be predictable. We will look at the opposition and the conditions -- that's how we have been preparing ourselves for this World Cup because every ground is different, the dimensions are different, the win factor is different, the weather is different. So, we will obviously plan accordingly. Things might not go our way but that's how open [to changes] we are," the skipper said.