Veteran Bangladeshi all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan has addressed the critiques leveled against him by former Indian cricketer Virender Sehwag. This comes after Shakib played a pivotal role in guiding the Asian side to a 25-run victory over the Netherlands at the Arnos Vale Ground in St Vincent. His unbeaten 64 off 46 balls proved instrumental in Bangladesh’s quest for a spot in the Super Eight stage of the T20 World Cup from Group D.
Shakib, at 37 years old, faced initial challenges in the tournament, failing to make significant contributions in matches against Sri Lanka and South Africa, with scores of eight and three runs, respectively. Sehwag publicly criticized Shakib, suggesting that he should feel embarrassed about his performances and consider retiring from the sport.
“You are such an experienced player, you have been captain before, but your stats are such. You should feel ashamed of yourself and just declare that you are retiring from the T20 format,” Sehwag had told Cricbuzz after Bangladesh’s four-run loss to the Proteas in New York on Monday.
“If he (Shakib) was included in the squad for experience, then we were not able to see it. At least spend some time at this wicket, it is not like you are (Matthew) Hayden or (Adam) Gilchrist who can play a pull shot of a short ball, you are just a player from Bangladesh. Play according to your standards. When you are not able to play hook or pull, so just play the strokes that you know,” he added.
Following his pivotal performance on Thursday, Shakib Al Hasan, the former Bangladesh captain, was queried about Virender Sehwag’s criticism during the post-match press conference. In response, Shakib interjected with a curt “Who?” displaying apparent indifference towards the remarks. He then proceeded to address the matter directly, asserting that a player’s duty doesn’t include responding to critiques. Despite this stance, Shakib acknowledged Sehwag’s perspective, recognizing the scrutiny surrounding his form and position within the team, particularly in light of his lackluster displays in the initial two matches.
“A player never comes to answer any questions,” Shakib shot back. “A player’s job is to bat for the team if he’s a batsman and contribute to the team. If he is a bowler, his job is to bowl well. The wicket is about luck. If he is a fielder, he should save each run and take as many catches as he can. Here, actually, there’s nothing to answer for anyone
“I think it is important for a current player (to see) how much he can contribute to his team. When he can’t contribute, then naturally there would be discussions and I don’t think it is a bad thing,” he added.
In their last Group D fixture on Sunday, Bangladesh is set to face Nepal. A victory in this crucial match would secure them a coveted spot in the Super Eight stage. However, if they were to suffer a defeat, their hopes would rely on Sri Lanka triumphing over the Netherlands to keep their advancement chances alive.
