Bangladesh’s Shakib Al Hasan becomes T20 leading wicket taker after fifer against Ireland

Bangladesh skipper Shakib Al Hasan has become the leading wicket-taker in the T20I format, surpassing New Zealand’s veteran bowler Tim Southee. With 136 wickets in 114 T20I matches at an average of 20.67 and an economy rate of 6.8, Shakib claimed the record by picking up a five-wicket haul against Ireland on Wednesday.

Lorcan Tucker became his first victim in the first ball of the second over, and Shakib went on a roll as Ireland players failed to understand the mysteries hidden behind his bowling style. George Dockrell became his fifth wicket as Shakib managed to trap him right in front of the wicket, marking his prowess over the Ireland batters.

The Bangladesh star made his T20I debut back in 2006 against Zimbabwe and has gone on to play 114 T20Is, featuring in all seven editions of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. Besides his impressive wicket-taking ability, Shakib has also scored 2339 runs at a strike rate of 122.33.

After the match, Shakib shared his trick of starting with spin after noticing the ball spin when Tector bowled slowly during his batting. He emphasized the importance of going out and expressing themselves from ball one to be a great side.

Also See: Bangladesh vs Ireland Schedule, Match Dates, Timing and Venues

Bangladesh will face Ireland in the final match of the series on Friday at Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium, where Shakib and his team will aim to secure the series in front of their home crowd.