Legendary Indian cricketer Virender Sehwag brutally slammed star all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan following Bangladesh's 4-run loss against South Africa in match 21 of the ongoing edition of the T20 World Cup 2024 at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York, on June 10 (Monday). Sehwag said Shakib is an experienced player who has been unable to provide that to the team. He said the former Bangladesh skipper is not Matthew Hayden or Adam Gilchrist to play pull shots on short delivery and should play as power his own standards. Shakib could only score 3 runs off four balls in the losing cause against the Proteas.
Sehwag slams Shakib
Virender Sehwag was clear-cut in his opinion on Shakib and said Shakib should have spent some time on the pitch and that he is unable to see the experience for which he has been added to the squad.
"If he was included in the squad for experience, then we were not able to see it. Atleast spend some time at this wicket, it is not like you are not Hayden or Gilchrist who can play a pull shot of a short ball, you are just a player from Bangladesh. Play according to your standards. When you are not able to play hook or pull, so just play the strokes that you know," Sehwag said on Cricbuzz.
Sehwag criticises Shakib's selection in T20 format
The former opener said Shakib's time in T20 cricket got over a long time ago and that he should be ashamed of his numbers in the format during recent times. He said Shakib should not play in this format anymore.
"I felt that Shakib's time in T20 cricket was up a long time back, during the last T20 World Cup. He has been captain for such a long time, he is such a senior player, and after that if your numbers are like these, he should be ashamed of it, right?," said Sehwag.
"Even he should realize that he is not cut out for T20s anymore, and announce retirement. When I played the 2012 T20 World Cup in Sri Lanka, I realized that the likes of Dale Steyn, Morne Morkel, and then there was this left-arm pacer from Afghanistan, I was not able to score against them at will. So, I straight up told the selectors to not consider me for the format anymore. Because, at the end of the day, you know your level and when you are not able to contribute, then what is the point of playing. So, I don't think he should play or be played," Sehwag concluded.
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