Shakib tops Bangladesh’s individual scoring chartAce Bangladesh allrounder Shakib Al Hasan has recorded the top score by a Bangladesh batsman and became the third cricketer from the country to notch a double century.

Shakib brought up his double century by punching a Colin de Grandhomme delivery behind square for his 30th boundary after Bangladesh cruised past 500 in their first innings against New Zealand at Basin Reserve on Friday.

The 29-year-old left-handed batsman then surpassed Tamim's record score of 206 with a push for a single to mid-off wearily playing on to a Neil Wagner delivery on about 15 minutes before the close of play.

The New Zealand fielders converged to shake hands and pat Shakib on the back on his way back to the dressing room where his teammates were on their feet giving him a standing ovation.

Before this, the talismanic cricketer from Magura had never scored a 150 in Tests. In fact, he has never been able to reach 130 in other first class innings.

Shakib had begun the day on and overnight 5. He reached his fourth Test century from 150 balls before his captain Mushfiqur Rahim cracked his ton in a captivating partnership that had New Zealand skipper Kane Williamson at his wit’s end.

Although each of them had scored their centuries in the space of a short time, Shakib pulled ahead after that, scoring 150 from 191 balls before registering his 200 off 253 balls.

Shakib was on 205 at the non-striker’s end, Mushfiqur got out for 159 giving an edge to a Trent Boult delivery in the next over as the experienced pair’s colossal 359-run fifth-wicket partnership came to an end.

Shakib claimed the record for the highest individual score for himself soon after that.

He also went past the 3000-run Test milestone on his way in the epic innings, which also saw him better Mominul Haque’s record of hitting 27 boundaries with his 31.

Apart from Shakib and Tamim, Mushfiqur is the only one who scored a double century. The Test skipper’s landmark 200 cameagainst Sri Lanka in Galle in 2013.

Among the batsmen from teams of the sub-continent, only five others scored double centuries in New Zealand. They are Pakistan’s Mushtaq Mohammad, Javed Miandad and Mohammad Yousuf, Sri Lanka’s Aravinda de Silva and Kumar Sangakkara.

bdnews24.com