SYLHET, Bangladesh – Towhid Hridoy scored a magnificent, unbeaten double century on Saturday to spearhead a remarkable batting recovery by Bangladesh that left the second Test against the West Indies in the balance after trailing for much of the first three days.
Playing in just his third Test, the 25-year-old Hridoy blasted 242 not out in his marathon eight-hour innings to propel Bangladesh to 386 in response to the West Indies’ first innings total of 356.
His historic knock, the highest ever score by a Bangladesh batsman, helped the home side rally from 184 for seven to claim a handy 30-run first innings lead.
Hridoy became the unlikeliest of heroes after left-arm spinner Jomel Warrican, fresh from his Player-of-the-Match nine-wicket haul in the opening Test, seemed on course to decimate Bangladesh’s batting lineup yet again.
Resuming the day on 88 for three, with Hridoy on 29, Bangladesh negotiated a fiery spell from speedsters Jayden Seales and Shamar Joseph, with the latter being especially hostile.
Together with Mushfiqur Rahim they extended their partnership to 73 runs before Warrican struck by having Rahim caught by a diving Brandon King for 34, to leave the score 124 for four.
Hridoy brought up his maiden Test half century by cutting spinner Joshua Bishop behind point for four, but Warrican put the Windies firmly in control by dismissing Litton Das and Hasan Mahmud, while Roston Chase accounted for the wicket of Mehidy Hasan Miraz to reduce Bangladesh to 184 for seven in the morning session, still 172 runs adrift.
Bangladesh looked set to concede a hefty first innings lead, but Hridoy found a reliable ally in Taijul Islam, with their 117-run partnership for the eighth wicket completely transforming the complexion of the match.
Hridoy reached his first-ever century just before the lunch interval with a single to square leg off offspinner Roston Chase, as Bangladesh limped to the break on 205 for seven.
After the break Hridoy upped the ante, with boundaries becoming his preferred choice of scoring while efficiently shielding Islam from the strike.
He reached his 150 by flicking Joseph to the midwicket boundary and followed that up two overs late by spanking him for consecutive fours.
The pair carried Bangladesh past the 300-mark before Warrican finally got the breakthrough when he had Islam stumped for 22.
But any plans West Indies had of wrapping up the innings was squashed by Hridoy and last man Taskin Ahmed, with the two adding an invaluable 85 runs for the last wicket.
During that time, Hridoy reached his double century with a single off Warrican, having scored just 54 runs in his four previous innings.
It took Seales to break the partnership by having Ahmed caught at fine leg, and with Shadman Islam unable to bat due to an ankle injury it left Hridoy unbeaten at the other end.
Hridoy’s knock surpassed Mushfiqur’s unbeaten 219 against Zimbabwe in 2018 and the 11 sixes in his innings was one short of the world record held by Wasim Akram and Yashasvi Jaiswal.
Warrican was the Windies’ best bowler with 4-104 while Seales took 2-58.
Left to navigate four tricky overs, Brandon King and Joshua Da Silva ended the day on seven without loss before bad light ended play.
Brief scores
West Indies 356 & 7/0 trail Bangladesh 386 (Towhid Hridoy 242*, Mushfiqur Rahim 34; Jomel Warrican 4-104) by 23 runs.
(CMC)
