Towhid Hridoy has made history for Bangladesh in Sylhet, turning his first Test century into a double century. The right-hander reached 200 off 304 balls, pushing Jomel Warrican to mid-on for a single. He is the first Bangladesh batsman to convert a maiden Test century into a double, and the country’s fourth to score a Test double hundred, after Mushfiqur Rahim (three), Shakib Al Hasan and Tamim Iqbal.
After 101 overs Bangladesh were 340 for 8. Hridoy was batting on 208 off 314 balls, with eight sixes and 19 fours, and Taskin was on 2 off 9 balls. Bangladesh are hoping their stand can take them to a first-innings lead.
Bangladesh had to bat in difficult conditions from the start of the second Test of the series against the West Indies. With the side under pressure at 22 for 2, Hridoy took on the job of rebuilding. Wickets kept falling, but he held one end and played an outstanding innings, building important partnerships and absorbing the pressure from the West Indies bowlers.
Hridoy resumed with Mushfiqur Rahim on the morning of the third day. In the first session, though, Jomel Warrican removed Mushfiqur and Litton Das to put Bangladesh back under pressure. Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Hasan Mahmud did not last long either. Wickets fell one after another, but the runs kept coming from Hridoy’s bat.
He first brought up his maiden Test fifty off 109 balls, then his first century off 171. He did not stop there. Against Shamar Joseph, Roston Chase and the rest, he batted on past three figures, cautious at times and attacking at others, and hit Chase for two sixes in one over.
Taijul Islam gave him fine support. The pair added 117 for the eighth wicket, one of Bangladesh’s best eighth-wicket stands in Tests. It ended when Taijul was stumped for 22. Hridoy kept going, farming the strike with the tail, and batted on after being hit in the ribs.
After passing 150, Hridoy set the record for the highest individual Test score at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium. He also passed the highest score by a Bangladesh batsman against the West Indies. He finally reached his double century off 304 balls. In the next over he hit Bishop for six, passing Tamim: Hridoy now holds the Bangladesh record for the most sixes in a Test innings, with eight. Tamim hit seven against Pakistan in 2015.
Before this, Bangladesh’s highest individual Test score was Mushfiqur Rahim’s 219.
বাংলায় মূল প্রতিবেদন পড়ুন · Read the original Bengali report