I'm still not out with the bat: Shakib
Image : Collected
|| CF Correspondent ||
Bangladesh all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan has sold his most favorite bat through an auction for BDT 20 lakh. Shakib has shared his connection to that number three bat of his 2019 World Cup campaign.
Through a Facebook page 'Auction 4 Action' Shakib Al Hasan sold his favorite bat to Raj a Bangladeshi born USA resident.
Shakib Al Hasan said that he is still not out with that bat as he played his last innings which was a T20I tri-series against Afghanistan in 21 September 2019, where Shakib scored a not out 70 from 45 with eight boundaries and one six. After that he got suspended by International Cricket Council [ICC] for one year.
"Not only in ODI, I used this bat in every format. It has started from the Ireland match even the last match I had played for Bangladesh against Afghanistan I used this bat in that match." Shakib Al Hasan said that in a live video arranged by the Auction 4 Action page. "I was playing with this bat after the 2019 World Cup. If I haven't been suspended then I would have played with that bat still. So still I'm not out with that bat, as I was not out in the last match." Shakib added.
Describing his journey with the bat Shakib said that it all started in the biggest franchise event Indian Premier League [IPL] 2019 edition where he started to get himself prepare for the 2019 World Cup as well. He used to practice in the net with the bat at that time. After the IPL, Bangladesh went for a tri-nation series held in Ireland. Where despite having the match bat, Shakib used the practice bat as he felt a connection with the bat.
"If I had to share the story of this bat, then I have to start from the time of IPL, basically I had two bat from that time. When I started to think about to prepare myself for the World Cup from that IPL time, I always used to practice in net with two bats. Salahuddin sir also came to train me in India at that time. From then when I used to train I always used this and that other bat, but never had any intention to continue playing with only this bat in the World Cup. In practice, we had to hit a lot of ball, so normally it gets a little damaged and also normally we had separate bat for training and match. Then after IPL, we tour to Ireland, I had many new bats with me, but somehow when I picked this bat I had a good feeling about it. I felt an attachment with that bat due to a long term net practice. I feel so comfortable whenever I touch that bat." Shakib added.
Shakib then continue to play with the bat and played throughout the series with it. But didn't get a chance to play in the final for being injured. In that series, Shakib played three matches and scored a total of 140 runs where he was not out for two matches, got two fifties and his highest score was 61 run not out.
"When we played against Ireland and West Indies in Ireland. Before the first match, I had a feeling that I will play with this bat, though I had match bats also. Then I played against West Indies in the first match and I did well. We won that match, then against Irelan, the again West Indien, again played against Ireland. Though I didn't able to play in the final due to my injury. But from that time I started to use this bat." The left-handed all-rounder said that.
After playing against Ireland in the last match Shakib didn't touch the bat for practice. He used it only for matches. Then he played the first match with the bat and played the whole tournament by applying bat tape before every match.
"When I played well against Ireland then I didn't touch this bat except for match. In the World Cup, I played the first match with this bat and played the whole tournament with it. When we play with a bat for so many matches the wood of the bat started to fall apart, so that bat also having this problem, so I had to use bat tape as it becomes my favourite bat. Those who play cricket will know my emotion. Especially after the England match, I had to tape the bat and play with it. Alhamdulillah as I was playing very well, so I had to face many bowl, so I had to put a small tape to the bat and had to play with it." Shakib added.
The all-rounder also shared a funny story and also a problem he had while using the bat during the World Cup. In the match against England where he had brilliant 121 from 119 ball innings, he changed his bat but after facing just one or two deliveries he got out without scoring a run with the other bat, from that point Shakib convinced himself not to use any other bat throughout the tournament. And the problem he faced was the bats handle used to have sound as it was used too much, so Shakib had a feat that if he missed any deliveries and the bat started to make noise at that time the Umpire might call him out so he used to tap the bat one or two times then the noise got off but after playing a delivery when he shakes the bat he heard the noise again.
"Also the bats handle had some noise. I had a fear that if I missed a bowl and umpire heard that sound and call me out. But the advantage was when I tap the bat for one or two times then the sound goes away again after playing the ball when I shake the bat the sound comes again. Then again I played with that bat. I replaced my bat during an innings against England after scoring 120 runs but after facing two ball with that other bat I got out without scoring a run. So from that day I understood that without this bat I might not able to do anything in this World Cup. So I didn't try at all with any other bat and played the whole tournament with it." Shakib concluded.
The bat will be handed over to the winner after all the steps are completed. The money from the sale of the bat will be used for the welfare of helpless people through the Shakib Al Hasan Foundation.
