Sports Desk:

Shakib Al Hasan rediscovered his rhythm in the ILT20 with a decisive all-round display for MI Emirates against Desert Vipers at the Dubai International Stadium to claim the Player of the Match award.

The Bangladesh all-rounder delivered a miserly spell of 2 for 14 from four overs, conceding no boundaries and bowling 12 dot balls. He struck first with a stumping in the seventh over and then dismissed Sam Curran with a sharp return catch.

His tight bowling restricted the Vipers to 124 for 7. Chasing the target, Emirates crossed the line with 15 balls to spare, with Shakib finishing unbeaten on 17. The performance came after a difficult start to the tournament, where Shakib struggled with both bat and ball in his first two matches.

After the match, Shakib admitted breaking into the side had not been easy. “Getting into the team is very difficult, it’s a star-studded team,” he said. “This was my third game and I’m very happy with the way I contributed today.”

He also acknowledged the support from the crowd, adding, “A lot of Bangladeshi people live here for a long time. I’m very happy to see them still chanting for me and I’m very thankful to them.”