'If someone thinks that I can change things in one day, we are living in fool's kingdom' - Shakib Al Hasan on Bangladesh T20I team

All-rounder Shakib Al Hasan, who has been appointed as Bangladesh T20I captain, has asked his supporters to not expect things to go upward immediately, saying that a change cannot be brought about by just one person. He said that people who are expecting fortunes to turn around soon are “living in a fool’s kingdom”.

Shakib will captain the national side in the upcoming Asia Cup in UAE as well as the T20 World Cup in Australia in October-November. Another recent change made by the Bangladesh Cricket Board is the appointment of Sridharan Sriram as their technical director. Meanwhile, Shakib said that he has no goals for the team.

“I have no goals. My only aim is that we can do well in the World Cup and these are the preparations for it,” Shakib was quoted as saying by Cricbuzz. “If someone thinks that I can change things within one or two days or someone else will come to change it, then we are living in a fool’s kingdom.”

We have not had good results in T20Is: Shakib Al Hasan

Shakib believes that the team would progress if they do well in the T20 World Cup. He also said that since the start of T20Is, they have had no good results except making the Asia Cup final in 2016. He reckoned that they had to make a new start because they are lagging far behind in the shortest format.

“See, we first played this type of version in 2006. Since then, we have not had good results, except the Asia Cup final. We are far behind in this version from that point so we have no choice but to make a new start,” he said.

Bangladesh lost their previous T20I series away from home, against Zimbabwe by 2-1. They have won only two of their last eight T20Is, and stand ninth in the ICC T20I team rankings. “When a baby starts walking [the first] steps are very difficult but gradually things become easier and I hope that we will also be able to start walking step by step like a baby and then move forward,” said the all-rounder.