Shakibul Gani (22) of Bihar's Motihari scripted cricketing history by hitting a triple century on first-class debut - the first in the world to do so. In the Ranji Plate tie against Mizoram in Kolkata, he blazed 341 runs off 405 balls, eclipsing the previous record of MP’s Ajay Rohera (unbeaten 267 against Hyderabad in 2018). Shakibul is the youngest of six children in the family. His mother, Asma Khatoon said that she had gifted him three new bats before he left home for Kolkata.
Motihari is now abuzz with the laurels of Gani who has emerged as a hero despite a largely non-existent cricketing infrastructure in Bihar. “Shakibul’s elder brother Faisal too would have also played First Class cricket if the Bihar Cricket Association had not lost recognition,” Khatoon said. Shakibul is the youngest of six siblings in the family which lives in the Agarwa locality in Motihari. The Gani home is decorated with trophies and medallions. Shakibul’s father Mohammad Mannan Gani, who runs a sports goods shop, echoed his wife’s sentiments: “Faisal has been Shakib’s mentor.”
“Shakib is an all rounder - he bowls pace - while my third brother Afan is a spin bowler who is handy with the bat,” Faisal, 27, said. Bihar, having opted to bat first, declared at 686/5 after Sakibul brought up a 538-run partnership for the fourth wicket with Babul Kumar, who also scored a double century.
