Shakib caps off The Year of the Tigers
During the stunning nine wickets victory over South Africa on July 15, Bangladesh's top allrounder Shakib Al Hasan capped off his team's brilliant run in ODI cricket this year with another record-breaking performance with the ball.
Shakib's return of three wickets for 33 runs from eight overs in the series decider cemented his place as the highest wicket-taker at home in 50-over matches, 123 dismissals in 84 games played in Bangladesh.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel. He went past Bangladesh's champion spinner Abdur Razzak, who took 122 wickets in 79 games, with the best of 5/29 against Zimbabwe during his career.
Shakib also joined the exclusive club of 4000 runs and 200 wickets in ODI cricket, seventh on the list of greats like Sanath Jayasuriya, Jacques Kallis, and Shahid Afridi to give him company.
The champion allrounder from Bangladesh reached this rare milestone in only 156 games, the quickest by far and with the best bowling average of 28.35 to top it off.
With Shakib Al Hasan contributing with the bat and ball consistently in recent times, Bangladesh recorded the fourth-most ODI wins with ten victories in the first six and a half months of 2015, and the third best win/loss ratio behind Australia and New Zealand.
Bangladesh ODI skipper Mashrafe Mortaza has lead his team to great heights, whitewashing Pakistan, maiden series wins over India and South Africa after the heart-break in the ICC Cricket World Cup's quarter-final earlier this year.
Mashrafe saw a vibrant Bangladesh win four consecutive ODI series at home on July 15, beginning from November last year with the whitewash over Zimbabwe.
His penetrative left-arm spinner Shakib hasn't given him any room for complaining, with 19 wickets in 15 matches played so far this year. Shakib's best return of 2015 came in March against New Zealand when he took 4/55 at Hamilton.
With the bat in hand, Shakib Al Hasan looked solid as ever in recent matches, with two fifties and a 48 in his last three games before the 2nd ODI against South Africa to back up his form.
The 2-1 triumph over the Proteas confirmed Bangladesh's ICC Champions Trophy 2017 qualification, as well as its seventh place position in the ICC ODI Team Rankings.
Shakib Al Hasan retained his number one spot in the ICC Player Rankings for ODI All-rounders on 418 points, 17 clear of Sri Lanka's Tillikaratne Dilshan, reported The Daily Star.
It is quite unfortunate for Mashrafe that his team has finished their ODI season for this year, considering his own captaincy, the bowlers and batsmen on form after delivering amazing victories over Pakistan, India and South Africa.
No more possibilities of another roaring triumph for the Tigers.
The best year for Bangladesh in their ODI history could've been better…
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