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Shakib Al Hasan ready for Aussie quicks

3 minute read

Fresh off a match-winning century at the World Cup, Bangladesh allrounder Shaikb Al Hasan says he's ready for whatever Australia's quicks have to offer.

Bangladesh run-scoring machine Shakib Al Hasan has no fear for Australia's armoury of fast bowlers, confident he's ready to take them on in Thursday's World Cup clash.

Fresh off smashing an unbeaten 124 from just 99 balls to help Bangladesh crush the West Indies, Shakib and his side will next face the Aussies at Trent Bridge.

Bangladesh have won two games at this year's World Cup to stay in contention for the semi-finals - with victories over the Windies and South Africa.

And the 32-year-old Shakib has both times been the star, with his aggregate for the tournament now 384 to top of the run-scoring list.

Twenty-six of his runs on Tuesday came from pull shots, including four boundaries, as the West Indies bowled far too short.

And Shakib said that was proof enough he was ready to handle what Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins would send down in Nottingham.

"We've been facing some of the best fast bowlers in the last four matches," Shakib said.

"Every match; every team's got, I think, at least two bowlers who bowl 140-plus and we've been coping well.

"I think... we just need to do our basics right.

"I think we're a skilled team and we are capable enough to counter those challenges."

Shakib will not be that familiar to Australian fans, having only played two Tests, one ODI and two Twenty20s against the defending world champions in the past eight years.

But he has become one of the best players in world cricket.

He is the No.1 ranked allrounder in one-day cricket, and is averaging 131 in one-day cricket this year, albeit having played just seven games.

He has not had a score below 50 in Bangladesh's four completed games at the World Cup, and taken five wickets with his left-arm tweakers.

"I have been contributing with ball, bat and my leadership," Shakib said.

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