Shakib Al Hasan delivered a stellar performance in the County Championship Division One, taking a five-wicket haul for Surrey in their match against Somerset.
The Bangladesh all-rounder finished with impressive figures of 29.3-1-96-5 as Surrey bowled out Somerset for 224 in 63.3 overs at the Cooper Associates County Ground, Taunton.
Shakib dismissed key players, including Archie Vaughan, Tom Abell, James Rew, Lewis Gregory, and Tom Banton, as Surrey were left needing 221 runs to win the match.
Shakib had already claimed four wickets by Day 3, but his fifth came after a prolonged 71-run stand for the last wicket between Jack Leach and a limping Tom Banton. The 37-year-old eventually bowled Banton to complete his five-wicket haul and wrap up Somerset’s innings.
In the first innings, Shakib was again the standout bowler for Surrey, recording figures of 33.5-7-97-4. However, his batting form has been less consistent, scoring just 12 runs in the first innings, something he will be eager to improve.
Shakib’s county form follows his instrumental role in Bangladesh’s historic 2-0 Test series win over Pakistan in Rawalpindi. In that series, Shakib scored 38 runs at an average of 19, and took five wickets with an economy rate of 2.82, even hitting the winning runs in the second Test.
Bangladesh’s first Test against India is set to begin on Thursday, 19 september, at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. With Shakib in such form, Bangladesh will be looking for their star all-rounder to lead the way.
