Late starter Shakib ready to shine

Shakib Al Hasan has quickly established himself as one of the finest all-rounders in international cricket, at the age of 22

From a casual player and a late advocate of the game to the top rung of the International Cricket Council's rankings for all-rounders, Shakib Al Hasan's rise has been heady, even surreal.

At 14 Shakib was yet to hold a bat; at 22, he heads a list of illustrious names including the likes of Andrew Flintoff, Yuvraj Singh, Jacques Kallis and Chris Gayle.

But Shakib has the game.

His left-arm spin carries bite, his batting is power-packed. The Bangladesh all-rounder is that rare brand of cricketer who could change the course of a match through his own ability.

Shakib's meteoric rise has a touch of irony to it - the lad from the district of Magura had not wanted to be a cricketer.

Football runs deep in the Al Hasan family - his father played for the Khulna Division and a cousin made it to the national team. Shakib had followed course and shown an inclination for the game early.

Taped-tennis ball cricket was young Shakib's only association with the game.

But all that changed when he was spotted by Saddam Hossain, a local umpire. Hossain got him to turn out for a trial for his club team Islampur which features in the Magura League.

“I went to the nets and bowled pace for a while,” Shakib said.

“Then I switched to spin and found that more effective. I was picked for the club straight away,” he said.

Having set foot on the path, Shakib covered ground quickly.

He soon caught the eye of coaches from the prestigious Bangladesh institute of sport and a chance meeting with fast bowler Mashrafe Mortaza, who was on the verge of making the national team, only fuelled his driving ambition.

For several days at a stretch he was the only player housed in the dormitory at the Bangladesh institute of sport, honing his skills in the nets while fellow team-mates and students were off on vacation.

Shakib has claimed over 100 wickets for Bangladesh with his left-arm spin and has also surpassed 2,000 runs with the bat

His on-field performance often reflects the determination and strength which comes from a deep sense of self-belief and relying on one's own abilities.

Shakib's abilities quickly stood out in the cauldron of the Dhaka Premier Division; his skipper Khaled Mashud recalls Shakib singing before going out to bat on debut. He made 39, the top score for his team.

At the Bangladesh institute of sport, Shakib watched as players such as Mushfiqur Rahim and Shahadat Hossain made it to the national team. The fact that they made their international debuts ahead of him grated with Shakib.

“It wasn't jealousy or envy, but I thought I was just as good and was more determined than ever to improve my game,” he says.

While Shakib rattled up brownie points with top performances in the Premier Division, it was his performances in the Under-19 World Cup which caught the eye of the national selectors and finally a place in the senior national team.

Shakib made his international debut in the final match of the five-match one-day series against Zimbabwe at the Harare Sports Club in August 2006 and caught the eye with an all-round show.

That feat was just the beginning.

An unbeaten 67 in the Champions Trophy match against a Sri Lanka attack that comprised Muttiah Muralitharan, Chaminda Vaas and Lasith Malinga won him acclaim, even as Bangladesh battled furiously, but in vain against a massive target.

Shakib managed half-centuries against England and India before securing his first one-day century - against Pakistan in their own backyard no less.

Shakib was deeply disappointed on being overlooked at the Indian Premier League auction earlier this year and believes he has a point to prove when the World Twenty 20 comes calling.