Shakib Al Hasan barely had time to breathe between matches.
Just a day after captaining Dubai Capitals in the Global Super League, the Bangladeshi all-rounder flew straight into the Caribbean and walked into a new role—this time as skipper of Miami Blaze in the MAX60 League, a recently launched T10-style tournament designed for fast-paced cricket.
Despite missing his team’s opening match, Shakib wasted no time making his presence felt in their second outing.
Bowling the second over of the match, he struck with his second delivery. Naseem Khushi fell to a sharp catch by Mark Deyal. The over cost just 9 runs.
When he returned in the fourth, things got tougher. Matthew Cross launched him for a six. But Shakib responded immediately, trapping the batter LBW the very next ball. He wrapped up his two-over spell with figures of 2 for 19. He also contributed in the field with a catch and a run-out.
Florida Lions had batted first, putting up 107 for 6. Tion Webster’s 29 off 20 and Cross’s 27 off 12 carried most of the load.
In reply, Shakib opened with Angelo Perera. From the first over, he looked aggressive. He hit Rahkeem Cornwall for a six and followed it with a four. But his momentum was short-lived. Demar Johnson got him LBW for 13 off 8 balls.
The chase continued with effort from other batters, but Miami Blaze came up just short, losing the match by nine runs.
While the result didn’t go their way, Shakib’s debut showed glimpses of the impact he can still have across formats and time zones. The MAX60 format, condensed to just ten overs per side, leaves little room for recovery. And yet, Shakib managed to stamp his mark within two overs and eight balls.
Now the focus shifts to Miami Blaze’s next fixture. But for Shakib, this kind of rapid transition—from international league to regional franchise to high-octane debut—feels familiar. Almost routine.
And even after all that, he’s still finding ways to deliver.
