In the lead-up to their clash with Pakistan, Bangladesh’s captain, Shakib al Hasan, dedicated extensive hours in the Eden Gardens’ nets, focusing on mastering the pull shot. The reason behind this rigorous practice was Shakib’s susceptibility to short-pitched deliveries, which had resulted in his dismissal in multiple matches. Bangladesh pacer Shoriful Islam shed light on the team’s efforts, explaining, “We bowled some short balls to him in the nets considering he got out in a couple of matches against short balls, and we just tried to make sure that he regains his confidence.”
Shakib’s struggles against short balls have been glaring in the current World Cup, with him falling to this tactic in five out of the six matches he has played. This is in stark contrast to his outstanding performance in the 2019 edition when he amassed 606 runs. In the 2023 tournament, Shakib has managed just 104 runs at an average of 17.33.
His vulnerability against pacers is particularly evident, having scored only 50 runs off 89 balls while getting dismissed by them in every match. His average against quick bowlers stands at a meager 8.33, with a strike rate of 56.17. In those 89 balls, Shakib played out 56 dot balls. Opposing teams in this World Cup have exploited this weakness, consistently employing the bouncer as an effective strategy against the Bangladesh batter.
Netherlands’ Bas de Leede, after his team’s victory over Bangladesh, remarked, “Shanto is great on the short ball, so we try to keep it away from him, but with other [Bangladesh] players, we did try to use it to take wickets.” Shakib’s vulnerability was evident when he gloved a slightly short-pitched delivery during the match, resulting in his dismissal. In a game against South Africa, he nicked a similar delivery from Lizzard Williams. The only time he fell to a different type of dismissal was when England’s Reece Topley clean bowled him in Dharamsala.
During their recent encounter with Pakistan, Shakib displayed more patience, providing support to Mahmudullah, who scored another half-century. However, his hopes for a substantial innings were dashed when Pakistan’s Babar Azam brought back Haris Rauf, who delivered a barrage of short balls. Shakib took the bait and top-edged one to depart for 43.
Fakhar Zaman from Pakistan revealed that short balls have consistently been a part of their strategy against Bangladesh, emphasizing, “I am not sure what was the plan of the bowler and the captain, but whenever we play Bangladesh, we know that they are weak against short balls, and we try to exploit that weakness.
Disclaimer: The prediction is based on the understanding, analysis, and instinct of the author. While making your prediction, consider the points mentioned, and make your own decision.
