Shakib battles with him continuously to get better every day
Collected
|| CF Correspondent ||
Bangladesh all-rounder Shakib al Hasan believes that he is battling with his own self and his hard-work is providing him mental strength to win over all odds.
This World Cup seemed to turn to be a milestone tournament for Shakib Al Hasan, who played a sublime 99 ball-124 unbeaten knock to help Bangladesh achieve its second victory in the cricket’s biggest extravaganza.
In Bangladesh’s two victory in this edition, Shakib became the man of the match, with his match defining knock and energetic bowling, fielding. Against South Africa, he played a handy 75 runs knock to hold together the innings when momentum seemed to be snatched from Bangladesh.
He also struck two fifty plus knock, sandwiched by these two match-winning knocks, meaning his ninth ODI century is his fourth straight fifty plus knock in the World Cup, a feat that no Bangladeshi could achieve so far. And it should be noted, he also kept striking with ball at regular intervals even though this World Cup pitch have nothing for the spinners.
However Shakib Al Hasan became the only second Bangladeshi batsman after Tamim Iqbal to reach the milestone of 6000 runs during his 124 not out in crucial World Cup match against West Indies at the Coopers Associates County Ground in Taunton on Monday. The milestone became sweeter because he led from the front to help Bangladesh win it by seven wickets.
Shakib said that he is not sure whether he is at the peak of his career considering the way he is dominating in the World Cup.
‘’I don’t know. I have said this earlier, it’s not that when I will be in top I will score more runs or get more wickets. Sometimes you can also play well and play even better without being in a good shape,’’ said Shakib.
‘’That time [ during the home series against New Zealand at home in 2010], I was in a good shape, and I am still in a good shape,’’ he said adding that his recent work regime helped him have confidence under his belt.
‘’I have worked very hard previously, so when tough situations come I remember that I had done all the hard work and this gives me courage and strength,’’ he said.
‘’I feel I don’t have take further load because I am prepared to handle any situation after working so hard coming this far and this provides me strength at the back of my mind,’’ he said.
‘’Mindset is very important. At this level, condition and environment your mental ability is very crucial. When your fitness is good it helps you a lot. But ultimately mental strength or how strong you can be in tough situations and your bravery, I think these things help in you both in batting and bowling,’’ he said.
‘’The battle is with yourself. When someone losses to himself then his chance of winning becomes low. When someone says from his heart that he wants to win, then maybe he won’t win all the time but there is a possibility that he will win most of the time,’’ he concluded.
