Bangladesh’s all-rounder and former skipper Shakib Al Hasan's unwavering dedication to cricket has never been doubted. Throughout his career, he's consistently played with all his might, and that commitment continues. Unlike his fellow cricketers enjoying a well-deserved rest on this Tuesday morning, Shakib stands as the exception. He's diligently practising his batting skills in the centre wicket at Mirpur's Sher-e-Bangla Stadium.
With two throwers feeding him balls, Shakib is honing his power-hitting abilities. Coach Nazmul Abedin Fahim observes intently from the sidelines. Shakib has long valued Fahim's guidance, considering him a childhood mentor.
Coach Fahim, positioned outside the nets, is actively pointing out areas for improvement in Shakib's batting technique. This focus on rectifying mistakes isn't new. Even during the 2023 World Cup, Shakib made a special trip home to work on his batting under Fahim's watchful eye. The sessions proved fruitful, resulting in a match-winning fifty against Sri Lanka. Now, with another World Cup looming, Shakib's once again seeking Fahim's expertise to iron out any remaining wrinkles in his batting.
Shakib Al Hasan's batting has admittedly faced challenges recently. Since the World Cup, his form has dipped, with some reports suggesting eye problems impacting his performance. He's been diligently adapting to a new head position while batting. While he did score runs in the BPL, his outings against Zimbabwe yielded only 22 runs across two matches.
Leading up to the World Cup announcement, Shakib has consistently put in the extra hours to extract his best performance. He practised after the Zimbabwe series, and now, his batting practice continues in earnest. This dedication reflects his unwavering determination to be in peak form for the upcoming World Cup selection.
