Shakib's Performance At No.3 In Batting Line-up
For every Cricket team's batting line-up, one-down batsman plays one of the most important roles. A one-down batsman have to prepare for facing new ball swings, also have to prepare for handling early collapses. Bangladesh team have experimented for this position a lot of times and very few of them actually succeed. But hopefully after Shakib Al Hasan's performance at one-down position in the tri-nation series and West Indies tour, we can say that finally we've found a worthy one-down batsman in ODI format. This is Mashhud Hasan from Frenzytitans360 and today I'm going to analyze Shakib's performance in this vital position.
Before Shakib got the opportunity to bat at no.3, Bangladesh gave Sabbir Rahman plenty of chances to cope up with this position. He was able to deliver 3 fifties in that position but failed to score runs with consistency. His average in no.3 is only 25.06 (scored 376 runs out of 15 innings). Mahmudullah got the chance of playing at no.3 and he has a brilliant knock of 62 runs against Scotland in World-cup at this position. But he also failed to keep the consistency and ended up scoring 157 runs out of 7 innings (average : 22.42). Mohammad Ashraful was one of the finest hitters of Bangladesh. He has also got the chance to bat at no.3. Even though he scored 2 of his 3 ODI centuries in this position, he averaged 20.5 by scoring 984 runs out of 52 matches (51 innings). Even technically the cleanest and most developed batsman of Bangladesh Mushfiqur Rahim also struggled to bat at this position. He has batted 11 innings at one down and scored 205 runs with a strike-rate of just 52.16 (including 2 fifties). In Test format, Habibul Bashar was a long time consistent performer of Bangladesh at no.3 and currently Mominul Haque is leading this position. But Bangladesh have struggled to find a one-down batsman for ODI format for a long time, a batsman who can hold up his wicket and can handle the rage of pace attacks with sheer persistence and consistence. Eventually the greatest all-rounder of modern era, Shakib Al Hasan moved up from no.5 to no.3 and filled up the gap of necessity in this position.
Shakib Al Hasan is one of the greatest all-rounders of all time who've been the no.1 all-rounder in ODI ranking for 9 years. He is the best batsman of Bangladesh in Test format. He's the 2nd leading run scorer of Bangladesh in ODI format. In 177 innings, he scored a total of 5,433 runs with an average of 35.5 which includes 7 centuries and 39 fifties. Even a batsman like Shakib didn't have a smooth beginning against the unfavorable condition of one-down position. In his first innings at one-down, he got bowled out by scoring no runs against Zimbabwe at 2014. In 2017, he again got the opportunity at one-down and scored only 29 runs by facing 45 balls against South Africa at Kimberly. In the beginning of 2018, Bangladesh have hosted a tri-series where they've added Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe as the competitors of that tournament. Shakib played the first match at one-down and scored 37 runs out of 46 balls against Zimbabwe. After that, he didn't have to look back. He got himself inducted in that position permanently. Next match against Sri Lanka, he scored 67 runs out of 63 balls and built 99 runs partnership at the 2nd wicket with Tamim Iqbal. 3rd match against Zimbabwe, he scored another fifty. In that tournament, he got awarded Man Of the Match in 2 matches. In the latest series against West Indies, he played a big role on winning the series. He scored 190 runs out of 3 innings which includes 2 fifties. He scored 97 runs at the 1st ODI. He scored 5 fifties in his last 8 innings.
Having the capability of building solid partnerships with any of openers or middle-order batsmen is also an important task for a one-down batsman. Shakib has done this task brilliantly. He built 78 runs partnership with Tamim at the opening match of the tri-series. In that tournament, his partnerships with Tamim were 76, 99, 106 and 10 respectively. In the 1st ODI against West Indies, he built a partnership of 207 runs with Tamim Iqbal. In the next two matches, this partnership have scored 97 and 81 runs. Their partnerships are the leading sailors of Bangladesh's innings.
In 2018, Shakib has played a total of 8 matches (7 innings) and scored 353 runs with an average of 50.42 and a strike-rate of 81.33 (which includes 4 fifties). He's continuously scoring runs consistently. After heading up to no.3 position, his batting has become a lot more matured. His arsenal of shots have enriched a lot, his foot-works have improved and he's very focused on running between the wickets to release the early pressure of 1st power-play. He is proving day by day that he is an ideal batsman for this one-down position. If he can continue with same pace and consistency, then it's definitely going to bring success for Bangladesh. Because whenever Shakib scores runs, it always puts the most impact on the result.
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| 64 vs Australia (T20 World-Cup 2014) |
Before Shakib got the opportunity to bat at no.3, Bangladesh gave Sabbir Rahman plenty of chances to cope up with this position. He was able to deliver 3 fifties in that position but failed to score runs with consistency. His average in no.3 is only 25.06 (scored 376 runs out of 15 innings). Mahmudullah got the chance of playing at no.3 and he has a brilliant knock of 62 runs against Scotland in World-cup at this position. But he also failed to keep the consistency and ended up scoring 157 runs out of 7 innings (average : 22.42). Mohammad Ashraful was one of the finest hitters of Bangladesh. He has also got the chance to bat at no.3. Even though he scored 2 of his 3 ODI centuries in this position, he averaged 20.5 by scoring 984 runs out of 52 matches (51 innings). Even technically the cleanest and most developed batsman of Bangladesh Mushfiqur Rahim also struggled to bat at this position. He has batted 11 innings at one down and scored 205 runs with a strike-rate of just 52.16 (including 2 fifties). In Test format, Habibul Bashar was a long time consistent performer of Bangladesh at no.3 and currently Mominul Haque is leading this position. But Bangladesh have struggled to find a one-down batsman for ODI format for a long time, a batsman who can hold up his wicket and can handle the rage of pace attacks with sheer persistence and consistence. Eventually the greatest all-rounder of modern era, Shakib Al Hasan moved up from no.5 to no.3 and filled up the gap of necessity in this position.
Shakib Al Hasan is one of the greatest all-rounders of all time who've been the no.1 all-rounder in ODI ranking for 9 years. He is the best batsman of Bangladesh in Test format. He's the 2nd leading run scorer of Bangladesh in ODI format. In 177 innings, he scored a total of 5,433 runs with an average of 35.5 which includes 7 centuries and 39 fifties. Even a batsman like Shakib didn't have a smooth beginning against the unfavorable condition of one-down position. In his first innings at one-down, he got bowled out by scoring no runs against Zimbabwe at 2014. In 2017, he again got the opportunity at one-down and scored only 29 runs by facing 45 balls against South Africa at Kimberly. In the beginning of 2018, Bangladesh have hosted a tri-series where they've added Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe as the competitors of that tournament. Shakib played the first match at one-down and scored 37 runs out of 46 balls against Zimbabwe. After that, he didn't have to look back. He got himself inducted in that position permanently. Next match against Sri Lanka, he scored 67 runs out of 63 balls and built 99 runs partnership at the 2nd wicket with Tamim Iqbal. 3rd match against Zimbabwe, he scored another fifty. In that tournament, he got awarded Man Of the Match in 2 matches. In the latest series against West Indies, he played a big role on winning the series. He scored 190 runs out of 3 innings which includes 2 fifties. He scored 97 runs at the 1st ODI. He scored 5 fifties in his last 8 innings.
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| Shakib during a tough series in South Africa at 2017 |
Having the capability of building solid partnerships with any of openers or middle-order batsmen is also an important task for a one-down batsman. Shakib has done this task brilliantly. He built 78 runs partnership with Tamim at the opening match of the tri-series. In that tournament, his partnerships with Tamim were 76, 99, 106 and 10 respectively. In the 1st ODI against West Indies, he built a partnership of 207 runs with Tamim Iqbal. In the next two matches, this partnership have scored 97 and 81 runs. Their partnerships are the leading sailors of Bangladesh's innings.
In 2018, Shakib has played a total of 8 matches (7 innings) and scored 353 runs with an average of 50.42 and a strike-rate of 81.33 (which includes 4 fifties). He's continuously scoring runs consistently. After heading up to no.3 position, his batting has become a lot more matured. His arsenal of shots have enriched a lot, his foot-works have improved and he's very focused on running between the wickets to release the early pressure of 1st power-play. He is proving day by day that he is an ideal batsman for this one-down position. If he can continue with same pace and consistency, then it's definitely going to bring success for Bangladesh. Because whenever Shakib scores runs, it always puts the most impact on the result.
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