India have Pandya, we have Shakib: Sriram
India all-rounder Hardik Pandya is currently the talk of the town in the cricketing world after his match-winning all-round performance against Pakistan in their Asia Cup encounter in Dubai on Sunday.
Pandya’s topic came up even during Bangladesh team’s technical director Sridharan Sriram’s press conference on Monday.
Pandya claimed three wickets and then showed nerves of steel with the bat to take his team home with a six in the final over.
Sriram, a former India international, praised Pandya for his brilliant performance but was also quick to remind everyone, that Bangladesh also have a maverick all-rounder of their own in Shakib Al Hasan.
“There aren’t too many cricketers around like Hardik Pandya, Ben Stokes. All-rounders like them bring balance in the team. Sometimes you can play an extra batsman, sometimes an extra bowler,” Sriram said on Monday.
“I read somewhere, that there are 12 players in the India team. That’s possible because they have an all-rounder like Hardik Pandya. But we also have Shakib. He can bowl four overs, bat at the top-order,” he added.
Shakib’s absence has affected the overall balance of the Bangladesh team in the past. But Shakib is not only a part of the Asia Cup team, he is also the captain.
Ahead of Bangladesh’s opening match of the Asia Cup against Afghanistan, Shakib said, “The players have a clear idea about what is expected of them. The captain has been brilliant regarding this, he has told the team what he expects from them. His thinking about T20 cricket is very modern. That is very rare in Bangladesh cricket.
“Shakib is a smart cricketer. To adapt with the fast pace nature of franchise cricket and international cricket one has to continuously keep improving. Shakib is brilliant at this. Those who perform well consistently for a long period, there is only one ‘secret’ behind it– they keep improving their game,” Sriram said.
Shakib has taken part in almost all franchise cricket tournaments in the world. Sriram feels that this experience has helped him become the cricketer he is right now.
“The main difference between him and the other cricketers of Bangladesh is the ability to utilise his abilities. He plays in different leagues, in different conditions. He has been playing in the IPL for many years. He has played in the CPL and across the world. This is what separates Shakib from the rest.”