Shakib Al Hasan moved level with Alex Hales and Rashid Khan on the list of most player of the match awards in men’s T20 cricket on Sunday, producing a decisive all-round performance for MI Emirates against Desert Vipers in the ILT20 in Dubai.
The Bangladesh all-rounder was named player of the match for the 45th time in his T20 career, a landmark that places him joint third on the all-time list. Only Chris Gayle, who won the award 60 times, and joint second-placed Glenn Maxwell and Kieron Pollard, with 48 each, now sit above him.
Shakib reached the milestone in 465 T20 matches, fewer than both Hales and Rashid, who needed 524 and 504 games respectively to collect the same number of awards. The achievement underlined his longevity and sustained impact across leagues and international cricket over more than a decade.
His latest award came after a standout showing with both bat and ball at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. Shakib returned figures of two for 14 from four overs, conceding no boundaries and bowling 12 dot balls, as Desert Vipers were restricted to 124. He then played a calm finishing role in the chase, scoring an unbeaten 17 to see MI Emirates home after they had slipped to 53 for four.
It was Shakib’s first player-of-the-match award since August last year, when he starred in the Caribbean Premier League, ending a quiet run in which he had gone seven T20 matches without a similar honour.
Speaking after the match, Shakib pointed to the conditions and the collective nature of the performance. “The pitch was helpful for spin and batting was not easy,” he said. “I knew we had powerful batters in the team, so I tried to be careful. Overall, I am happy with the team’s performance.”
