Shakib Al Hasan became Bangladesh’s highest wicket-taker in ODIs when he dismissed Brendan Taylor in the first ODI against Zimbabwe in Harare.
The left-arm spin-bowling allrounder overtook Mashrafe Mortaza‘s tally of 269 with a ball that deceived the batter, and his sweep shot, to snag the top edge and end up in the hands of short fine leg.
This is not the first time Shakib has become Bangladesh’s highest ODI wicket-taker. He had reached that pinnacle in September 2016 only for Mortaza to climb past him. But, with Mortaza playing his last ODI in March 2020 and looking unlikely to add to them, the record should stay safe in Shakib’s hands for a while.
Mortaza also took one wicket in two matches for Asia XI in the Afro-Asia Cup in June 2007, which means Shakib needs one more to become the highest wicket-taker among Bangladeshi bowlers in ODIs.
Shakib returned to the Bangladesh team during this Sri Lanka series, after missing their ODIs and T20Is in New Zealand due to a thigh injury, and skipping the Tests in Sri Lanka last month due to his IPL commitment.
He is already Bangladesh’s highest wicket-taker in Tests and T20Is with 210 and 92 wickets, respectively. Shakib is also currently the sixth highest wicket-taker in T20s with 362 wickets.
He is among only four allrounders to score more than 6,000 runs and take 250-plus wickets in ODIs. In T20s, he is one of only three people to have scored 5,000 runs, taken 300 wickets and picked up 50 catches.
Mohammad Isam is ESPNcricinfo’s Bangladesh correspondent. @isam84
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