Shakib Al Hasan, the top all-rounder of his time in Bangladeshi cricket, is known for his impressive list of accomplishments as well as his various disciplinary issues and short-lived involvement in politics under a controversial former leader of his country.
Shakib has played a crucial role in his team’s ascension to being strong international competitors, captivating supporters with standout performances and controversies.
He is still the lone player who has achieved the top position in the International Cricket Council all-rounder rankings in all three formats at the same time.
At 37 years old, Shakib is continuing to excel – he secured three wickets in the second innings as Bangladesh achieved their first Test victory against Pakistan on Sunday.
Despite his occasional defiance, selectors have accepted his transgressions as a necessary sacrifice for the sporting successes that led to him being recognized as the top athlete in his country in 2022 by respected Bangladeshi sports journalists.
“Bangladesh’s cricket history can be categorized into two periods: pre and post Shakib Al Hasan, as noted by experienced sports journalist Montu Kayser in an interview in the previous year.”
It’s akin to the time before and after the birth of Christ. He is considered the Jesus Christ of Bangladesh cricket.
None of the controversies in Shakib’s career have followed him as persistently as his choice to participate in fraudulent elections in January alongside former autocratic prime minister Sheikh Hasina.
This month, Hasina was removed from power in a rebellion led by students, causing the leader to escape to India.
The cricketer was in Canada participating in a T20 league after losing his position as a lawmaker in the revolution. He has yet to come back home.
Together with many other members of Hasina’s Awami League, Shakib is facing a murder case for allegedly being involved in the deaths of protesters by police officers.
Shakib has chosen not to publicly address the case, however, his teammates have shown their support for him. “I will support him through difficult moments as both a teammate and a brother,” stated experienced batsman Mushfiqur Rahim on Facebook recently.
“I am not in favor of the unfounded accusations made against him.”
Shakib, at the age of 19, entered the international stage in 2006 as a all-rounder batsman, facing Zimbabwe.
He had already achieved stardom when he scored fifty runs against India in the next year’s World Cup, a memorable victory for Bangladesh fans.
His impressive performance of 7-36 during a defeat to New Zealand secured his place in the Test team in 2008.
Two years afterwards, he guided Bangladesh to their inaugural ODI series triumph against a prominent cricket nation, securing a 4-0 home victory over New Zealand.
Shakib found it challenging to handle the responsibilities of being captain so soon in his career, and was relieved of his duties following a lackluster tour of Zimbabwe in 2011.
By 2014, his connection with the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) hit rock bottom.
Shakib’s lack of self-control led him to wield a bat at a spectator. Afterwards, he made an inappropriate gesture towards a TV crew and was suspended by the BCB for three ODIs.
An ongoing conflict with coach Chandika Hathurusinghe and participation in the Caribbean Premier League without BCB approval resulted in a six-month suspension.
Shakib’s punishment was lifted prematurely following his apology and commitment to “act in a more grown-up manner”.
He said that there is nothing more painful than being separated from cricket.
In his return Test against Zimbabwe, Shakib achieved a rare all-round feat by scoring a century and taking 10 wickets, joining Imran Khan and Ian Botham as the only cricketers to accomplish this.
In 2017, he achieved a century to rescue Bangladesh from a dangerous 33-4 to an impressive five-wicket victory against New Zealand in Cardiff.
Shakib achieved his peak during the 2019 World Cup in England, scoring 606 runs and taking 11 wickets, setting a tournament record for all-rounders. However, he also persisted in stirring up controversy.
During his leadership in a players’ strike for improved compensation in 2019, Shakib was handed a two-year ban by the ICC for not reporting corrupt approaches from bookmakers.
Shortly after he came back, he was once again appointed as captain for Test matches and Twenty20 games. However, in 2022, the BCB made him end a collaboration with a foreign betting website.
The next year, he attended the grand opening of a boutique jewelry store, even though Bangladeshi authorities had informed him that the owner of the store was a wanted fugitive facing murder charges.
Kayser compared Shakib to a monarch adorned with numerous obstacles in his rule. “He continued, however, the thorns cannot prevent him from reigning over his domain.”
Despite numerous demands for his removal, Shakib is anticipated to play in the upcoming second and final Test against Pakistan in Rawalpindi, starting on Friday.
Shakib will persist in playing. BCB president Faruque Ahmed was quoted in a prominent Bengali Daily, stating that they received a legal notice about bringing him back and responded that he would continue playing.
Currently, the FIR has been lodged and is in the initial phase. There are many procedures to follow before he is found guilty, during which time we will continue to have him participate. The Bangladesh team plans to travel to India after the Pakistan series and we hope to have him participate in that series too. He is under contract with us and we will provide him with legal support if needed,” he further stated.
