As the world eagerly anticipates the ICC T20 World Cup 2024, legendary Bangladesh all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan has showered praise on Indian captain Rohit Sharma. He lauded Sharma’s leadership qualities and his exceptional batting skills. With a crucial warm-up fixture between India and Bangladesh just around the corner, Shakib’s commendation serves as a significant morale booster for the 37-year-old Indian skipper.
The upcoming clash between the Men in Blue and the Bengal Tigers on June 1 at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York promises to be an enthralling contest. Shakib elaborated on Sharma’s impactful leadership of the Indian team during the recent 50-over World Cup.
“I think the way he led India in the last few years was terrific. He has a tremendous record as a captain. I think all the players respect him as a leader of the team. He’s someone who can take the game away from the opponent single-handedly,” Shakib Al Hasan stated in a video shared by Star Sports.
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Bangladesh enters the tournament following a disappointing T20I series loss to co-hosts USA by a 1-2 margin. In contrast, the Indian team arrives fresh from the rigorous Indian Premier League (IPL) season, ready to compete at the highest level.
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Bangladesh’s first warm-up game against the USA was abandoned due to heavy rain, making the match against India their second and final preparatory fixture before the tournament. Conversely, India will play only this one warm-up game before the official start of the competition.
In T20Is, Rohit Sharma has scored 454 runs against Bangladesh at an impressive average of 37.83 and a strike rate of 141.43. In ODIs, his tally against the Najmul Hossain Shanto-led side stands at 786 runs with an average of 56.14 and a strike rate of 97.27.
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Remarkably, both Rohit and Shakib are the only two players to have participated in all editions of the T20 World Cup. Shakib, a 37-year-old all-rounder, holds the record for the highest wicket-taker in the tournament’s history with 47 wickets, while Rohit is the fourth-highest run-scorer, amassing 963 runs from 36 innings.
