Bangladesh ace allrounder Shakib Al Hasan is on the verge of reaching another milestone as he needs just 10 wickets to be the highest wicket taker in Twenty20 World Cup history.
Shakib who joined Bangladesh team bubble today after his IPL commitments is at No. 7 at this moment with 30 wickets. But still he has the chance of being the No. 1 because none of the six cricketers above him are in the World Cup this time.
So if he could thrive with cherry, he can quickly rise to the top. Shakib’s 30 wickets came in 25 matches at an average of 19.53 and with economy rate of 6.84.
The bowlers who are above Shakib Al Hasan at this moment is South Africa’s Dale Steyn with 30 wickets in 23 matches, Pakistan’s Umar Gul with 35 wickets in 24 matches, Sri Lanka’s Ajantha Mendis with 35 scalps in 21 matches, Pakistan’s Saeed Ajmal with 36 wickets in 23 matches, Sri Lanka’s Lasith Malinga with 38 wickets in 31 matches and Pakistan’s Shaheed Afridi with 39 wickets in 34 matches.
England’s Stuart Borad also took 30 wickets but since he played one match more than Shakib, he is in eighth position.
Shakib’s challenge will be to topple Afridi, the hero of the 2009 T20 World Cup.
It is difficult for Shakib to eclipse Afridi to rise to the top. However, Shakib has a record of taking 10 wickets in one World Cup. The left-arm spinner took 10 wickets in the last 2016 T20 World Cup. Beforehand in 2014 T20 World Cup in Bangladesh, he claimed 8 wickets.
Bangladesh who are in now cornered situation following their disappointing defeats in the two officials practice matches against Sri Lanka and Ireland would rely on Shakib completely to turn the things when they start their campaign, taking on Scotland on Sunday.
Shakib, the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) player though bowled badly in the IPL final, giving away 33 runs in his three overs against Chennai Super Kings, he is used to play well in cricket’s mega event. Even in the last ODI World Cup in 2019, Shakib created history with 606 runs and 10 wickets in just eight matches.
If he can keep up this habit, it is certain he could rise to the top of bowling chart in T20 World Cup history.
