IND vs BAN: "He's someone who..." - Shakib Al Hasan's assessment of Rohit Sharma

Veteran Bangladesh all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan heaped praise on Team India skipper Rohit Sharma ahead of the 2024 T20 World Cup, scheduled to be played in the West Indies and the USA. Shakib Al Hasan stated that Rohit Sharma can take the game away from the opponent single-handedly.

Rohit Sharma and Shakib Al Hasan are the only players to have participated in every edition of the T20 World Cup since its inception in 2007. The veteran cricketers are set to compete in the World Cup warm-up match at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York on Saturday, June 1.

Rohit Sharma played a crucial role in India's winning campaign during the 2007 tournament in South Africa. Sharma has scored 963 runs in 39 T20 World Cup matches at an average of 34.39 with a strike rate of 127.88, including nine half-centuries. The veteran opener also led the India team in the 2022 T20 World Cup.

Shakib Al Hasan showcased his prowess as both a batsman and a bowler for Bangladesh in T20 World Cups. The left-handed batter has scored 742 runs in 36 matches at an average of 23.93 with a strike rate of 122.44. The left-arm spinner (47 wickets) holds the record for the most wickets in T20 World Cup history.

Tremendous Record As A Captain - Shakib Al Hasan

Speaking on Star Sports, Shakib Al Hasan expressed his admiration for Rohit Sharma for his outstanding leadership and batting prowess. Shakib highlighted Sharma's remarkable record as captain, stating that he earned the respect of all players as a leader.

"The way he led India in the last few years was terrific. Tremendous record as a captain. All the players respect him as a leader of the team. He's someone who can take the game away from the opponent single-handedly," Shakib said.

Rohit Sharma has experienced highs and lows as captain of the Indian team. He has excelled in bilateral series but has not yet secured an ICC title for India. The Men in Blue reached the semi-finals of the 2022 T20 World Cup, the final of the 2023 World Test Championship, and the final of the 2023 ODI World Cup.

India is placed in Group A alongside Pakistan, the USA, Canada, and Ireland, while Bangladesh is in Group D with South Africa, Sri Lanka, the Netherlands, and Nepal. Rohit and Shakib aim to guide their respective teams to the knockout stages of the upcoming tournament to be in the race to clinch the coveted trophy.

Bangladesh Squad: Najmul Hossain Shanto (c), Taskin Ahmed, Litton Das, Soumya Sarkar, Tanzid Hasan Tamim, Shakib Al Hasan, Tawhid Hridoy, Mahmud Ullah Riyad, Jaker Ali Anik, Tanvir Islam, Shak Mahedi Hasan, Rishad Hossain, Mustafizur Rahman, Shoriful Islam, Tanzim Hasan Sakib. Traveling reserves: Afif Hossain, Hasan Mahmud.

India squad: Rohit Sharma (c), Hardik Pandya (vc), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant (wk), Sanju Samson (wk), Shivam Dube, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohd. Siraj. Traveling Reserves: Shubman Gill, Rinku Singh, Khaleel Ahmed, Avesh Khan.

Also read: IND vs BAN: 'Hope Rahul Dravid can get his players together' - Brian Lara's concerns for team India