Shakib Al Hasan rues not getting the Player of the Tournament award in the 2019 World Cup

Shakib Al Hasan, the Bangladesh all-rounder, was a bit surprised after he didn’t get the Player of the Tournament award in the 2019 World Cup. He was one of the contenders, but in the end, New Zealand skipper Kane Williamson got the award. In the mega event, Shakib churned out 606 runs with five fifties and two centuries, and also got 11 wickets, including a fifer against Afghanistan.

Shakib understands that the award is the highest honour for any individual cricketer. Had Bangladesh qualified even for the semis, Shakib had more than a decent chance of becoming the leading run-scorer above David Warner and Rohit Sharma.

“Well, I wished for it, to be honest. Yeah, I think as an individual player that’s the highest achievement you can get,” Shakib was quoted as saying to Harsha Bhogle on Cricbuzz.

I think Kane deserve it, says Shakib Al Hasan

Shakib had once gotten the Player of the Series award in the 2012 Asia Cup. There he managed 237 runs in four matches and also picked up six wickets. Back then, he was relatively young and was privileged to play alongside the likes of Mahela Jayawardena, Kumar Sangakkara, Sachin Tendulkar, Virender Sehwag and Younis Khan.

“I got man of the series once in 2012 Asia Cup. That was I think a huge achievement for me because all the big names of the other sub-continent teams were also there, like Mahela, Sangakkara, Sachin, Sehwag all those players were playing at that time, Misbah, Younis Khan all those players were playing,” he stated.

Even as Shakib rues not getting the award last year, he also reckons that Williamson was a worthy winner of the same. The Magura-born lauded the Kiwis’ captain for how he took his team to the final where they missed out against England at the Lord’s Cricket Ground.

“Getting the man of the series award at that stage was a special moment for me but yeah it would have been nice if I would have got the Man of the Tournament in the World Cup. But that happens and I think Kane deserve it. The way he handled his team and took them to the final was something I’ll cherish,” Shakib added.