Shamim’s improvisation lights up Bangladesh’s new T20 intent

Bangladesh batter Shamim Hossain Patwary may not know the name of the shot that sent social media into a frenzy in Chattogram, but he certainly knows why he plays it.

The left-hander went viral after pulling a short ball over the wicket-keeper’s head during his whirlwind unbeaten 31 off just 13 balls in the opening T20 International against New Zealand.

His innings, played at a strike rate above 200, tilted the match decisively in Bangladesh’s favour as the hosts secured a six-wicket win with 12 balls to spare.

Shamim smashed three fours and two sixes during the chase, but it was one audacious pull that became the talking point among fans and pundits alike.

Even ahead of the third and final T20I in Mirpur, following the rain-abandoned second match, the conversation continued to revolve around that improvised stroke.

On Friday, Shamim revealed that the shot was not something spontaneous but a skill he repeatedly works on in training.

“Honestly speaking, I don’t know the name of the shot,” Shamim said with a smile. “And I always practice this in the nets. Because I know when I go out to bat, I really like playing improvised shots. So I practice these all the time,” he added.

The 25-year-old explained that modern T20 field settings often create opportunities in unconventional scoring areas, particularly behind the wicket.

“The thought process is actually that when I go out to bat, the field setup is a little different. So that is the benefit, and that’s it,” he said.

Shamim was also seen practicing the stroke in the nets alongside former Bangladesh captain Mohammad Ashraful ahead of the series decider.

But according to Shamim, there was no special technical discussion behind it.

“Nothing much normally. Because the way I bat in matches, just to maintain that intent, that’s what I’m practicing,” he noted.

That aggressive intent has increasingly become a defining feature of Bangladesh’s T20 approach under captain Litton Das.

Shamim credited the skipper for backing him despite the high-risk nature of his role in the middle-order.

“First of all, I would like to give many, many thanks to Litton bhai. As a captain, he did what was needed. He backed me. So I could play well. Litton bhai always tells us to play freely,” he stated.

Shamim also admitted that his own mindset remains attack-oriented from the moment he walks out to the crease.

“Whenever I go out to bat, I always go with a positive mindset that I will start hitting. If I can play a little aggressively, it is very good for my team,” he explained.

The batter believes Bangladesh must continue embracing this fearless approach if they want to compete consistently against top teams in T20 cricket.

“I would say this is definitely how T20 cricket should be played. Otherwise we won’t be able to win the big matches,” he concluded.