Bangladesh clinch series lead as Shakib Al-Hasan goes past Ian Botham

Bangladeshi all-rounder Shakib Al-Hasan etched his name in history as he surpassed the great Ian Botham to become the fastest cricket in the history of Test cricket to take 200 wickets and score 3000 runs. He did it in 54 matches as compared to Botham, who had achieved this mark in 55 Tests
Shakib also became the only Bangladeshi cricketer to take 200 wickets in the longest version of the game.

The veteran all-rounder had scores of 34 and 1 in both the innings respectively to go with a match-haul of five wickets to hand Bangladesh a 64-run win over West Indies in the first Test in Chittagong on Saturday. The hosts thus go 1-0 up in the two-match series.

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Shakib’s participation in the Test series against the Windies was highly doubtful after underwent a surgery in his finger this September. But that he recovered before his scheduled time of recovery was a fact that was confirmed by Bangladeshi chief selector Minhjaul Abedin.

“He has been cleared by the physio to play against the West Indies,” he said, as quoted by Hindustan Times.

“There is no pain in his finger now. And he should be available from the first Test. He has a lack of match practice. But we thought as a senior cricketer he could adjust,” he added.

Resuming the day at 55/5, Bangladesh could add only 70 more to their overnight score as they were skittled out for 125 runs with Devendra Bishoo leading the pack with four wickets. He was followed by Roston Chase (3/18) and Jomel Warrican (2/43).

Having set a target to 243 to chase, Taijul Islam starred with his left-arm spinners as he scalped six wickets to help his side bowl out Bangladesh for just 139 on the board.

Sunil Ambris the top-scorer for the Windies with 43 runs off 62 balls. Spinners Shakib and Mehidy Hasan Miraz scalped two wickets each as Bangladesh completed the win inside three days in Chittagong.

Brief scores: Bangladesh 324 (Mominul 120, Warrican 4-62, Gabriel 4-70) and 125 (Mahmudullah 31, Bishoo 4-26, Chase 3-18) beat West Indies 246 (Hetmyer 63, Dowrich 63*, Nayeem 5-61) and 139 (Ambris 43, Warrican 41, Taijul 6-33) by 64 runs