Debuting in 2006, in 102 matches, Bangladesh’s 23 year old captain Shakib Al Hasan has scored 2,834 runs, at an average of 34.98, with 5 centuries. Bowling slow left-arm orthodox spin, he has taken 129 wickets at 28.80; he also has 28 catches to his credit.
To put things in perspective, after 102 matches, Sachin Tendulkar had 3,641 runs with 5 centuries. Also, the Bangladesh skipper’s batting average is marginally higher than that of Sehwag who has scored 7380 runs in 228 matches at 34.64. His bowling average is marginally higher than that of Zaheer Khan who has taken 252 wickets in 182 matches at an average of 29.68.
A nitpicker might be quick to point out that a lot of the young Bangladesh all-rounder’s runs and wickets have come against minnow teams such as Scotland., Kenya and Zimbabwe. That said, his statistics reveal consistency. Batting averages of 24.66 against England, 27.41 against New Zealand, 36.16 against Pakistan, 24.50 against South Africa, 27 against West Indies, and 32.12 against Sri Lanka reveal that the left-hander is not fazed by rivals’ reputations.
» Read more: ICC World Cup 2011: Why Shakib Al Hasan Is Bangladesh’s Most Valuable Player
