8 months ago
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Bangladesh cricketer
Shakib Al Hasan
, a leader among all-rounders of his era, has a career marked by impressive achievements, disciplinary issues, and a brief political involvement under ex-leader Sheikh Hasina. At 37, Shakib still excels; he was instrumental in Bangladesh's historic Test win against Pakistan by taking three second-innings wickets on Sunday.
Despite numerous controversies, including contesting elections under Hasina and facing a murder charge related to police actions against protesters, Shakib remains central to Bangladesh's cricket success.
Shakib Al Hasan has been crucial to the rise of Bangladesh in international cricket, mesmerising fans with both his performances and controversies. He is the only player to have led the International Cricket Council all-rounder rankings in all three formats at once.
The selectors have continued to support him despite his infractions, recognizing his value to the team. In 2022, prominent Bangladeshi sports journalists named him the country's greatest athlete.
"Cricket in Bangladesh is divided into two eras: before and after Shakib Al Hasan," veteran sports reporter Montu Kayser told AFP last year.
"It's like before and after Christ. He is the Jesus Christ of
Bangladesh cricket
."
Among Shakib's various controversies, none have been as persistent as his involvement in the January elections under Sheikh Hasina. A student-led uprising recently ousted Hasina, who fled to India. Shakib, in Canada during a T20 league, lost his lawmaker position amid the revolution and has not returned home.
Shakib, along with several Awami League members, faces a murder charge related to the police killing of protesters. Shakib has not commented on the case but has received support from his teammates.
"As a teammate and a brother, I will be there during his tough times," veteran batsman Mushfiqur Rahim said on Facebook this week.
"I do not support the false allegations made against him."
- 'Many thorns' -
Bangladesh cricketer Shakib Al Hasan made a remarkable comeback in a Test match against Zimbabwe, scoring a century and taking 10 wickets, placing him among cricket legends Imran Khan and Ian Botham. Despite his on-field prowess, his career has been marred by controversies, including a two-year ban by the ICC for failing to report corrupt approaches and a forced abandonment of a betting partnership by the BCB.
In 2017, Shakib played a crucial role in securing Bangladesh a five-wicket win over New Zealand in Cardiff, rescuing the team from a precarious 33-4. His peak performance came during the 2019 World Cup in England, where he scored 606 runs and took 11 wickets, setting an all-rounder record for the tournament.
"Kayser likened Shakib to a 'king with many thorns in his crown.'"
During his tenure leading a players' strike for better pay in 2019, Shakib faced a two-year ban from the ICC for not reporting corrupt approaches by bookmakers. Post-ban, he was reinstated as Test and Twenty20 skipper but was soon compelled by the BCB to end a sponsorship with an offshore betting site in 2022.
In another controversy, Shakib was a guest at the opening of a boutique jeweler in Dubai in 2023, despite warnings from Bangladeshi police that the store's proprietor was a fugitive accused of murder.
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