IPL Can Shakib help KKR decode Mustafizur?

Hyderabad take on Kolkata today

Sports Reporter

Shakib Al Hasan has not featured in any of Kolkata Knight Riders' games in the Indian Premier League so far. And there is a chance that he may not be included in the squad for the franchise's third game against the Sunrisers Hyderabad today as well.
Regardless of whether he is chosen, there is no doubt that KKR's team management will have a long chat with the allrounder prior to the game in order to help decipher the Mustafizur Rahman mystery.
The left-arm pacer was the only player to put up a good show in Hyderabad's last game against the Royal Challengers Bangalore. On a batting paradise, Hyderabad conceded more than 200 runs and their team economy rate was above 11.
Under such circumstances Mustafizur recorded astounding bowling figures of two for 26 in four overs with an economy rate of just 6.5. His cutters were hard to read and his fuller length deliveries were on the mark.
Hyderabad skipper David Warner had decided to hold the bowler back until the end and paid the price for it. It will not be a surprise if Mustafizur is given a few more overs in the middle stages of the game today.
In order to decode Mustafizur, KKR's best weapon would be Shakib. The left-armer has played Mustafizur in the nets and will know best as to how to tackle him.
While Shakib will probably be able to understand Mustafizur's mentality and predict the kind of deliveries he comes up with during the game, he too can have a tough time understanding Mustafizur's variation.

 

The word is that the pacer does not bowl too many slower deliveries in the nets during Bangladesh's training sessions and instead focuses more on his line and length. As a result, Shakib too may have to work hard to read the left-armer's deliveries.
It will be interesting to see the way the two teams pan out their strategies for the game which begins at 4:30 BST today. Both teams lost their previous games and will be raring to go for a win.
Mustafizur has already impressed his team management quite a bit. Hyderabad mentor VVS Laxman had a few encouraging words regarding the bowler yesterday: "You can see he's got a lot of confidence in his skills. He practises all his deliveries religiously in the practice sessions, which means he's not only talented but working hard to control his variations.”
Shakib, on the other hand, is yet to fit the team's strategies, but he might be of great help to KKR from his place on the bench.