Director of cricket at Surrey, Alec Stewart, has confirmed that star Bangladeshi all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan will be joining the team due to a severe player shortage. Eight of their players are busy with the third Test against Sri Lanka and the start of the Twenty20 international series against Australia.
Stewart cited the previously described rationale as the primary justification for wanting to enlist the help of an experienced campaigner such as Shakib.
“We have known for some time that we would likely be missing two of our spinning all-rounders and missing a large number of players due to England service for this specific clash. Making the choice to sign Shakib was simple when the chance presented itself. He is a player of his calibre. We’re excited to see what Shakib can achieve for Surrey because he offers a wealth of experience and exceptional bat and ball talent, according to Stewart, who was quoted.
I’m happy to have the opportunity to speak on behalf of the club: Shakib Al Hasan
Shakib was uninhibited in his praise for the club’s past. Shakib, who recently returned from a triumphant two-match Test series in Pakistan, will be playing for Bangladesh in the forthcoming series against India.
“I’m happy to have the opportunity to represent Surrey, one of the most prominent clubs in the world. Shakib said, “I’m coming here to make an impact and help the team reach their season goals.”
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Even though Shakib will only be playing one game—against Somerset in Taunton—it will give him valuable playing experience and be the perfect preparation for the pivotal series that begins in ten days. Fascinatingly, Shakib was the first player from Bangladesh to play for a county team; he made his debut for Worcestershire in Division Two of the 2010 season. While representing them, he recorded his best first-class results of 7/32, a statistic that has never been surpassed.