Sylhet, March 20 (IANS) Veteran wicketkeeper-batter Mushfiqur Rahim on Monday made a 60-ball hundred, the fastest century by a Bangladesh player. Rahim reached the landmark on the final ball of Bangladesh’s innings in the second ODI against Ireland in Sylhet.
His 60-ball hundred, laced with 14 fours and two sixes at a strike-rate of 166.66, was enough to better the previous best record of a 63-ball ton by Shakib Al Hasan, which came against Zimbabwe in Bulawayo in 2009.
Rahim’s hundred came from number after he walked in to bat in the 34th over of the innings. The wicketkeeper-batter remained unbeaten on 100 as Bangladesh made 349/6 in 50 overs, which is their highest total in ODIs, bettering the 338 they had made in the previous match of the series.
As Sylhet witnessed another high score, Rahim also got to 7000 ODI runs, becoming the third Bangladesh batter after Shakib and Tamim Iqbal to reach the landmark. Rahim now has nine ODI centuries, standing equal with Shakib in a list led by Iqbal, who has 14 tons to his name.
Bangladesh had put up 338 in the first match against Ireland at this venue two days ago, the then-highest score by them in ODIs beating the 333 they had made against Australia at the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2019.
They recorded a stunning 183-run victory then, their biggest in terms of runs. Here, they bettered the total by putting up 349/6 powered by Rahim’s stunning hundred, Najmul Hossain Shanto making 73 off 77 balls and Towhid Hridoy slamming 49 off 34 balls.
–IANS
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