Top 5 cricketers of the week: 10th January to 16th January

#4 Shakib Al Hasan

Shakib broke records in his monumental innings

Shakib Al Hasan, in the first Test against New Zealand, made 217, the highest by a Bangladesh batsman. He also joined an elite club of nine players who have a 7-for in Tests and a double century. However, this is also in the top ten individual scores in a loss, Bangladesh’s 595 being the highest total by a team in a losing cause.

Shakib amassed his 217 in just 276 balls with 31 fours. He took Bangladesh from a not-so-great situation at 160 for 4 (when Mushfiqur joined him) to 519 for 5, by which time Bangladesh were genuinely nursing hopes of an overseas win.

He added 359 for the fifth wicket with Mushfiqur Rahim who scored 159. Shakib also picked two wickets in New Zealand’s innings including the prized wicket of Tom Latham.