Tamim eclipses Shakib to become highest ODI centurion for Bangladesh

Having garnered most of Bangladesh's batting records for himself, Tamim Iqbal has earned another achievement by becoming the highest ODI centurion for the Tigers.

Sports Correspondentbdnews24.com
Published : 1 Oct 2016, 01:25 PM
Updated : 1 Oct 2016, 06:02 PM

The 27-year-old opener cracked his seventh ton against Afghanistan in the series decider and surpassed Shakib Al Hasan at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur.

They jointly held the record with six centuries each before Tamim got down on the field and reached the summit in the 50-over game for the first time on Saturday.

Tamim also has the same number of centuries in Tests while holding the only Twenty20 International hundred for Bangladesh.

When Shakib scored his sixth ODI century against Zimbabwe in November 2014, Tamim had four. But he drew level with the ace allrounder with back-to-back tons against Pakistan last year.

Tamim had shown signs of going for his seventh in the first match of the series but a rash shot ended his innings on 80.

He, however, was given a lifeline in the series decider on Saturday and he put the reprieve to perfect use, reaching his century off 110 balls.

Afghanistan skipper Asghar Stanikzai dropped a simple catch off Mohammad Nabi with Tamim on 1 and allowed the left-handed batsman crack 11 boundaries and two sixes on his way to a run-a-ball 118.

He switched to caution for a couple of overs after the reprieve before smashing Mirwais Ashraf for three fours in the eighth over and cruised to fifty off 63 balls.

Tamim seemed in an even more ominous mood after reaching his century as he hammered spinner Rahmat Shah for back-to-back sixes after a boundary.

Nabi got his man when Tamim looked for another big one but holed out near the long-off boundary.

With 15 international centuries under his belt, Tamim's tally is the highest among Bangladesh batsmen.

No one else even has 10.

He is also on the verge of becoming the first Bangladesh batsman to notch 5000 ODI runs. He now has 4931.