Shakib Al Hasan becomes only the fourth player to achieve a rare record

Shakib Al Hasan became only the fourth player to score a half century and scalp three wickets in consecutive ODIs today. This feat was achieved against Zimbabwe where Bangladesh crushed them by 91 runs in the ongoing One-Day International Tri-series.

The match-winning all-round performance of 51 runs and bowling figures 3/34 against the Zimbabweans was followed after another complete performance against Sri Lanka on January 19 where he scored 67 runs and picked up 3/47. In fact, Shakib picked up 3 wickets for 43 even in the match before that against Zimbabwe but scored 37 runs only.

Today, Shakib and opener Tamim Iqbal, who top-scored with 76, set up the win. After taking the team over the 100-run mark, the all-rounder got to his half-century off 78 balls in the next over but fell soon after. Trying to up the ante, he charged down the track to Sikandar Raza and was stumped.

After Bangladesh set a target of 217, Shakib switched from a batsman to a spinner almost instantly and bagged the wicket of opener Solomon Mire. It was then followed by the scalp of wicketkeeper-batsman Brendan Taylor and then Tendai Chatara. All three players were dismissed for single-digit scores.

The first cricketer to achieve the feat of scoring a fifty and picking up three wickets in consecutive ODIs is South Africa’s former captain Hansie Cronje who did this in 1999 against West Indies. Interestingly, he is also the only non-Asian to feature in this list.

Next is Sachin Tendulkar who achieved this feat against Bangladesh and Pakistan in 2004 during the Asia Cup. Third, in chronological order is Pakistan’s Shoaib Malik who achieved this feat in 2007-08 against India and Zimbabwe. However, Malik is the only player to have done so in two separate series. Shakib Al Hasan after his all-round performance today has made it to the fourth spot in the list of those with this unique record.

50+ runs 3+ wickets in consecutive ODI matches:

Hansie Cronje, 1999
Sachin Tendulkar, 2004
Shoaib Malik, 2007/08
SHAKIB AL HASAN, 2018#BANvZIM

— Sampath Bandarupalli (@SampathStats) January 23, 2018