Shakib Al Hasan wants a decent India-Bangladesh rivalry

Shakib Al Hasan is widely and justifiably considered the greatest all-rounder produced by Bangladesh. Having played for the KKR side in IPL, Shakib is quite popular amongst Indian fans. The left-arm spinner is a proven wicket-taker and his batting is another potent weapon for whichever team he plays for. He has also played for numerous T20 leagues and showcased his skills around the world.

On Sunday, the all-rounder spoke about the rivalry between Indian and Bangladesh to Sportskeeda at a PUMA event in Bangalore. Recently, before the Asia Cup final between the two teams, a graphic image of MS Dhoni’s head held by Taskin Ahmed went viral on social media and was widely criticised.

Asked about the rivalry between India and Bangladesh in recent times, Shakib said, “I love to see the rivalry develop without any indecency, but you know with crowds, you can’t control people. As far as I think with our team and the Indian team, we don’t think about those things. Outside the field, we are always good friends. We talk to each and share moments. Everything is cool with us. It’s just that some people who don’t talk decently sometimes.”

Shakib acknowledged the good reception his team has received from Indian fans during the World T20. He also expressed his disappointed about the loss against Pakistan. He said, “So far, the reception has been great. I’m sure they’ll be supporting India all the way on 23rd. We know what to expect and that’s what we play the game for. It is disappointing to lose any cricket match, but it happens in T20. That is why the format is so unpredictable and exciting, and on one bad day, that can happen. So, we need to make sure that we come back strongly and do what we have been doing over the last 1-2 years,

Shakib thought playing two matches in Bangalore won’t be a disadvantage his team despite the ground being small and the pitch expected to be flat. “We have improved a lot with our fast bowling, they have been terrific. They have been winning most matches for us. I don’t think (playing at Chinnaswamy) will be a disadvantage. Our batsmen need to get used to the conditions, but the fast bowlers can do the job for us,” he concluded.