Shakib Al Hasan appointed T20I captain of Bangladesh

Veteran Bangladesh all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan has been appointed as the new T20I skipper of the Bangladesh team. He has replaced Mashrafe Mortaza at the helm of the team in the shortest format. It was earlier this season when Mashrafe Mortaza had called it a day in the T20 format of the game.

Shakib was appointed as the skipper by Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) on Saturday (April 22). The decision was taken at the 16th executive meeting held at the BCB headquarters at Dhaka. Prior to his appointment as the captain of the shortest format, Shakib Al Hasan was the vice-captain of the national side in the format. He has earlier served in the same capacity for the national team.

It was during the 2009-10 season when he had taken over as the captain of the team for the first time in T20I cricket. He had replaced Mohammad Ashraful back then. Shakib had led the team in 15 matches. However, his stint as the captain was not fruitful at all. Bangladesh had lost all the games under his captaincy back then.

Muhsfiqur Rahim had taken over from him in the role of the skipper and subsequently, the position was taken over by Mashrafe in 2014. Recently, prior to the conclusion of the T20I series in Sri Lanka, Mashrafe had announced that the two-match t20I assignment in Sri Lanka will be his last in the shortest format.

Shakib Al Hasan has played 59 matches thus far in the format and has 1208 runs to his name. He has a top score of 84 and averages over 23 with the bat. He has been a handy bowler for the team as well. He has scalped 70 wickets with an economy of 6.79.

He has an impressive average of 20.84 with the ball to go with a brilliant strike rate of just over 18. Shakib’s first assignment after his reappointment as the captain will be in South Africa in October this year.