BAN vs IRE 2nd T20I: Shakib Al Hasan leapfrogs Tim Southee to become leading wicket-taker in shortest format

Bangladesh skipper Shakib Al Hasan leapfrogged veteran  New Zealand star Tim Southee for most wickets in T20Is having scalped a fifer in Chattogram against Ireland. The second T20I saw Shakib go past the Kiwi star having scalped his 136th wicket in the format. Shakib’s fifer also paved way for Bangladesh to win the three-match T20I series by 2-0 with one more match to go on Friday.

Starting the day at 131 wickets, the 36-year-old all-rounder needed three wickets to go level with Southee while needing four to go past him. Shakib reached this landmark after trapping George Dockrell leg-before off the third ball of the sixth over. When he castled Harry Tector three balls later, Shakib reached his second career five-for in this format. Shakib ended with figures of 22/5 from his four overs and was adjourned ‘Player of the Match’ for his performance. He also scored 38 off 22 deliveries while batting first. 

The Bangladesh star made his T20I debut all the way back in 2006 against Zimbabwe and has gone on to play 114 T20Is. He has featured in all seven editions of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.

Having put into bat first, the hosts were at their fluent best as they started on the front foot with openers Rony Talukdar (44 off 23) and Litton Das (83 off 41). The pair put together an opening stand of 124 runs before Talukdar was dismissed while Das soon followed. However, then Towhid Hridoy (24 off 13) and Shakib helped the side reach over 200 runs. In the 17 overs, Bangladesh scored 202/3 with Benjamin White scalping two wickets.

In response to the 203-run target, Ireland were never in the contest after losing six wickets in the powerplays. Only three batters got in double figures for the visitors as Curtis Campher top-scored with 50 while Harry Tector ended with 22 runs. Graham Hume was the only other man to be in double figures with 20 runs. 

Ireland in response could only manage 125/9 in their 20 over and ultimately lost the contest by 77 runs and thereby losing the series 2-0.

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