Hridoy’s 242: Bangladesh Takes 30-Run Lead

Record after record tumbled courtesy of Towhid Hridoy’s bat. The right-handed batter played a career-best innings against West Indies in the Sylhet Test, securing a lead for Bangladesh. His unbeaten 242 runs helped the hosts take a 30-run lead in the first innings. At the end of the third day, Bangladesh’s score stood at 386 for 9 wickets.

In response, West Indies began their second innings, scoring 7 runs without losing any wickets. King remained unbeaten on 5, and Joshua Da Silva on 2, as they concluded the day’s play.

Bangladesh resumed batting at the start of the day with 88 runs for 3 wickets. Towhid Hridoy, who was unbeaten on 29 the previous day, was joined by Mushfiqur Rahim at the crease. Although the duo attempted to build resistance early on, Mushfiqur could not last long. He was dismissed while attempting a drive off spinner Warrican, not Justin Greaves. Following this, Litton Das was also defeated by Warrican’s spin, returning to the pavilion for just 8 runs.

Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Hasan Mahmud also failed to stay at the wicket for long. At one point, Bangladesh faced the prospect of trailing by over a hundred runs. However, Hridoy anchored one end and continued to fight back. He gradually built his innings, not only guiding the team out of danger but also creating history.

The record for the highest individual innings in Tests for Bangladesh now belongs to Hridoy. Previously, this record was held by Mushfiqur Rahim, who scored 219 runs against Zimbabwe in 2018. Hridoy surpassed that record, finishing on 242 runs.

Hridoy also set a new record for the most runs scored by a Bangladeshi batter in a single day of a Test match. On the third day alone, he added 213 runs. Previously, Shakib Al Hasan had scored 212 runs in a single day against New Zealand in 2017.

Hridoy achieved a unique feat in terms of hitting sixes as well. His innings of 242 runs included 11 sixes. In Test history, only two batters have hit more sixes in a single innings—Wasim Akram and Yashasvi Jaiswal, both of whom hit 12 sixes.

The resistance from the lower-order batters played a significant role in Hridoy’s magnificent innings. Especially, his 117-run eighth-wicket partnership with Taijul Islam brought Bangladesh back into the match. Even after Taijul departed for 22 runs, Hridoy continued his fight.

He then formed an 85-run ninth-wicket partnership with Taskin Ahmed. When Taskin was dismissed for 12 runs off 29 balls, Bangladesh’s innings concluded. Shadman Islam could not bat in the first innings due to an injury. Consequently, Bangladesh’s innings ended at 386 runs for 9 wickets.

In his unbeaten innings of 359 balls, Hridoy struck 22 fours alongside 11 sixes. Propelled by his batting, Bangladesh ended the day with a 30-run lead over West Indies in the first innings.

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