On a day when Shakib Al Hasan reached the milestone of 400 wickets in List A cricket, young pacer Rejaur Rahman Raja gave him the pill which was hard to swallow.
Raja invaded Shakib’s party by registering the best bowling by a Bangladesh bowler in List A cricket. He claimed an eye-popping eight wickets for just 23 runs, a bowling figure that was instrumental in heling his side Prime Bank Cricket Club secure a mammoth 199-run win against Shakib’s Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club at Khan Shaheb Osman Ali Stadium in Fatullah today in a Dhaka Premier League (DPL) match.
Raja eclipsed the record of Yasin Arafat Mishu who also took eight wickets but gave away 40 runs against Abahani Limited in a DPL game in 2018.
Put into bat first, Prime Bank Cricket Club compiled 270 before being all out in exact 50 overs. Shakib grabbed 2-42 to claim 400 wickets in List A cricket as the third Bangladeshi bowlers after his predecessor Abdur Razzak and former captain Mashrafe Bin Mortaza.
Shakib was the slowest among the three as he took 307 matches to reach 400-wicket haul. Razzak did it in 269 matches while Mashrafe made it in 287 matches.
Shakib generally didn’t play DPL matches that much. In ODI cricket he took 317 wickets while the rest of 87 wickets came in DPL and other recognized 50 overs cricket.
In List A cricket, Mashrafe still remains Bangladesh highest wicket-taker with 468 wickets from 343 matches. Razzak who is now a selector ended his career with 412 wickets from 280 matches. With Mashrafe not regular in cricket, Shakib has the chance to go past him.
For Prime Bank, its skipper Zakir Hasna made highest 85 while the veteran Mushfiqur Rahim scored 78.
As Jamal was celebrating Shakib’s feat, never did they ponder in their wildest dream that what was awaiting for them. Youngster Rejaur Rahaman appeared in the stage after his senior mate Hasan Mahmud removed the two openers.
Raja then sparked a sensational collapse, including giving Shakib a first-ball duck as Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club were bowled out for just 71 in 21.3 overs. His bowling figure eventually read 6.3-0-23-8.
