Shakib Al Hasan within reach of major double milestone

Bangladeshi all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan came into this IPL season within reach of two major milestones. One, he has already achieved, the other is only a step away. If he manages the feat, he would achieve an extraordinary double in T20 Cricket.

During Saturday’s game against the Kolkata Knightriders, Shakib scored 27 off 21 balls and took two wickets. His turn with the bat took him past the T20 4,000 run mark. His two scalps in the match have him poised at 299 wickets in the format.

Only one other person has reached 4,000 runs and 300 wickets in the format. Caribbean all-rounder Dwayne Bravo is the highest wicket-taker in T20 Cricket, with 413 scalps to his name. He has also scored 5,582 runs.

Photo: BCCI

Bravo, who was a regular feature of T20 matches in various leagues has played 377 matches. Shakib has played 257.

Pakistan’s Shahid Afridi is the only other player to pass 300 wickets and 3,000 runs in T20s. In 274 matches the veteran has taken 300 wickets and scored 3,893 runs.

Only two other bowlers have passed the 300 wicket mark – Mumbai Indians Bowling Mentor Lasith Malinga who has 387 wickets in 256 matches, and Sunil Narine, who has 321 wickets from 274 matches.

Shakib faces the Kings XI Punjab in his next match in Mohali on Thursday.