Shakib Al Hasan Breaks Ian Botham's Record In The Second Test Against Pakistan

Veteran Bangladesh all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan once again entered the record books as he became the fastest player to score 4000 Test runs and pick 200 wickets.

Although Bangladesh lost the second Test by an innings and eight runs to Pakistan in Dhaka, Shakib’s 33 and 63 helped him take his Test tally to 4029 runs from 59 games.

Shakib Al Hasan goes past Sir Ian Botham’s record

In the course of his second innings, Shakib surpassed England all-rounder Sir Ian Botham’s record of being the fastest player to do the double of 4000 runs and 200 wickets in Test cricket.

Shakib reached the landmark in his 59th Test match while Botham took 69 games to reach the same milestone. The Bangladesh all-rounder missed the T20I series against Pakistan followed by the first Test in Chattogram owing to a hamstring injury.

Last month, Shakib became the leading wicket-taker in T20 Internationals during the T20 World Cup after he removed Scotland’s Michael Leask for a duck.

Shakib surpassed former Sri Lanka pacer Lasith Malinga’s 107 wickets in the shortest format.

Shakib was granted leave for a New Zealand tour

Bangladesh cricket team is scheduled to tour New Zealand for a couple of Test matches, starting on January 1 in Mount Maunganui followed by the second game in Christchurch.

Last week, the Bangladesh board named an 18-member squad for the two-match Test series against the Black Caps.

Earlier Shakib was included in the squad but the player had demanded for a leave, to which, the board asked the player to write them officially with a reason. On Monday, Shakib was granted leave by the board.

Barisal-born bowling all-rounder Fazle Mahmud was named as Shakib’s replacement in the Test squad.

“Fazle Mahmud will be part of the Test squad as Shakib’s replacement and we have decided to include him as he is among the runs in the domestic circuit,” Akram said.

Bangladesh lost the two-match Test series to Pakistan 0-2 and were also white-washed by Pakistan in the three-match T20 Internationals.

Also Read: BCB Grants Shakib Al Hasan Permission To Skip New Zealand Tour