Bangladesh’s all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan addressed former Indian cricketer Virender Sehwag‘s harsh criticism following his match-winning half-century against the Netherlands in Match 27 of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024. The game took place on Thursday, June 13, at Arnos Vale Ground, Kingstown, St. Vincent.

Virender Sehwag questions Shakib Al Hasan’s place in the team

Sehwag had previously questioned Shakib’s position in the team due to his poor performance, suggesting he should consider retirement. The former Indian opener criticized Shakib for not taking enough responsibility with the bat, comparing him unfavorably to legends like Matthew Hayden and Adam Gilchrist.

“You are such an experienced player, you have been captain before, but your stats are such. You should feel ashamed of yourself and just declare that you are retiring from the T20 format. At least spend some time at this wicket, it is not like you are (Matthew) Hayden or (Adam) Gilchrist who can play a pull shot of a short ball, you are just a player from Bangladesh. Play according to your standards,” Sehwag remarked on Cricbuzz.

Shakib’s response to Sehwag after stellar performance against the Netherlands

Despite a prolonged slump, Shakib scored an impressive 64* off 46 balls against the Netherlands. When asked about Sehwag’s remarks during the post-match press conference, Shakib initially pretended not to know who made the comments, before stating that it was not his place to respond with words.

Shakib Al Hasan, the most arrogant cricketer in the his history.

Journalist: There has been lot of discussions about your performance especially criticize by Virendra Sehwag”

Shakib: Who is Sehwag?
pic.twitter.com/wtqlGrdeX3

— Farrago Abdullah Parody (@abdullah_0mar) June 14, 2024

“A player never comes to answer any questions. A player’s job is to bat for the team if he’s a batsman and contributes to the team. If he is a bowler, his job is to bowl well. The wicket is about luck. If he is a fielder, he should save each run and take as many catches as he can. Here, actually, there’s nothing to answer for anyone. I think it is important for a current player how much he can contribute to his team,” said Shakib in the post-match presser.

Also READ: Twitter reactions – Shakib Al Hasan, Rishad Hossain steer Bangladesh to dominant win over Netherlands in the T20 World Cup 2024

Focus on team contribution

Notably, prior to his half-century, Shakib had managed just 69 runs in T20Is from six innings in 2024, averaging 11.50. With the ball, he had taken six wickets from eight innings at an average of 30.50, leading to significant scrutiny of his performance in the tournament.

Shakib emphasized that throughout his career, he has never been overly concerned about his individual performance but has always focused on contributing to the team’s success.

“I have never been worried about my performance. I don’t think that I ever had that thought in my career. I feel good If I can contribute to the team. As I said, maybe today is my day, but maybe someone else’s day will come in the next match,” he added.

Bangladesh close to reach Super 8 stage

Shakib’s brilliant knock helped Bangladesh post a total of 159/5 in their 20 overs. The Netherlands, in response, could only manage 134/8, resulting in a 25-run victory for the Tigers. With this win, Bangladesh are now well-positioned to qualify for the Super 8 stages. They have secured two wins out of three matches so far and will look to claim another triumph in their final game against Nepal.

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