Dhaka, Apr 5 (bdnews24.com) - Though the management of Kolkata Knight Riders is yet to say whether Shakib Al Hasan is playing in Thursday's match against Delhi Daredevils, KKR fans' proposal to keep the world's top all-rounder in the first 11 of team has almost made it clear that he is playing their opening match of Indian Premier League 2012.
Apart from greeting notes for Shakib, his name was seen in almost all of the first 11 of the team, proposed by the fans of the Shahrukh Khan-owned franchise in websites of ESPNcricinfo, IPL 2012 and KKR.
The mostly discussed issues in www.cricinfo.com and www.kkr.in were Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) and Shakib, the best player of Asia Cup tournament.
The match previews also suggested Kolkata allowing Shakib to play in Thursday night's match against Delhi.
According to IPL rules, any team will be able to let highest four foreign players. Shakib had been given the chance to play for KKR, a team full of star cricketers, in only seven matches in last year's IPL, creating his fans' unhappiness.
Apart from Shakib, the foreign players of KKR are Eoin Morgan, Brendon McCullum, Brad Haddin, Ryan Ten Doeschate, Jacques Kallis, Brett Lee and Sunil Narine.
For Kolkata skipper Gautam Gambhir, who has been stripped of Indian vice-captaincy, the tournament would mean a lot personally as he would be eager to let his leadership skills do the talking, besides contributing at the top of the order.
The Knight Riders look a far more settled side this time around after roping in former player and New Zealand's explosive opener Brendon McCullum, and their $700,000 catch in West Indian off-spinner Sunil Narine, who scalped 10 wickets at a miserly 4.37 runs per over for Trinidad and Tobago in last season's Champions League Twenty20 .
McCullum is expected to partner Jacques Kallis at the top with Gambhir dropping to the No 3 position. The middle-order will have an in-form Manoj Tiwary, who would be desperate to be prove a point to the Indian team management after having denied a single opportunity during the entire tri-series in Australia and the subsequent Asia Cup in Bangladesh.
In Yusuf Pathan, the Knight Riders have one of the most feared hitters and the team would be hoping for his bat to do all the talking this time around after a fairly quiet outing last year.
Apart from Pathan, the Knight Riders also have a host of exciting all-rounders in Laxmi Ratan Shukla, Rajat Bhatia, Dutchman Ryan Ten Doeschate and Shakib.
The Knight Riders also have balanced bowling attack, which will be led by Australian speedster Brett Lee.
But Shakib's fight to be in the team is clearly against Doeschate and Naraine.
His fans advocated for his inclusion in the team by comparing statistics of performances of the players.
One of them wrote, "btw,who is sunil narine?? how on earth he became more efficient than shakib??!! shakib is the best all rounder in all formats and sunil narine not even in the playing eleven!!! how ridiculous the people are!!!"
Another one wrote in Cricinfo, "Who is the hell Sunil Naryan?? Does he has vast international exposure??I think sunil is not suppose to compare with number 1 all-rounder in the globe.."
"Shakib has to play. Narine is too overrated. Would you rather play the worlds best allrounder, man of the series from BPL and Asia cup, can bat and bowl excellent, from subcontinent or Narine who comes from carribeaans, no experience at subcontinent and cannot bat. KKR has to be stupid not to choose Shakib," wrote a KKR fan.
The move to 'disgrace' the Caribbean cricketer is nothing but to clear Shakib's entrance in the team.
A Shakib fan, Hasib Rahman, wrote to the other fans of the all-rounder, "please do not advocate on Shakib's behalf. He is a talented player. If he does well in IPL, his performance will speak for itself and everyone will know. P.S. i am a fan of Shakib too but no use writing good things about him before the game is over......"
Nazmun Nahar of Eden College wrote in the IPL's official website, "I watch KKR matches for only Shakib."
Rajshahi Medical College's Mitoon Roy greeted the Bangladeshi all-rounder while some others proposed to let him bat in the top order considering his performance in the BPL and Asia Cup.
The KKR website had 10 comments on Kallis' profile and 20 on Lee's while 47 on Shakib's on Thursday afternoon.
A report on Shakib had 100 comments.
Many of the comments carry dissatisfaction over use of a 'bad' photo of Shakib.
But the biggest request was to the coach. Farhad Islam Russel wrote, "I hope the coach will take the right decision as he (Shakib) is a tremendous all-rounder."
Some of the fans suggested Shakib to play better. He had brought KKR 11 wickets but only 29 runs in seven matches last year.
Soumit Nag wrote, "Please bro�score some runs this time."
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