Mehidy Hasan Miraz blasted his way to a maiden ODI hundred at Mirpur, lifting Bangladesh from doldrums against India to script history.

Bangladesh, 1-0 up in the three-match ODI series, were left reeling at 69-6 after 19 overs against the Indian pacers in the second ODI, at the Shere Bangla National Stadium. At this point, No.8 Mehidy joined No.6 Mahmudullah. The pair added 148 before Umran Malik bowled the latter, for a 96-ball 77.

There were only 23 balls left, and Mehidy continued with the onslaught, lifting Bangladesh to 271-7. He remained unbeaten on an 83-ball 100, reaching the milestone with a milestone with a single off the last ball.

In the process, he eclipsed his previous ODI best of 81 not out against Afghanistan at Chattogram earlier this year, which used to be his List A highest score as well as the highest ODI score at No.8 for Bangladesh. That Chattogram innings and this Mirpur innings are the only two entries on a particular list.

That was not the only record Mehidy broke today. He equalled the world record for the highest score by a No.8 batter in ODI history. At Dublin in 2021, Simi Singh had also scored a round unbeaten 100 against South Africa – though he took 91 balls, eight more than Mehidy’s 83.

The Bangladesh innings also provided the first instance where the seventh- and eighth-wicket partnerships, between them, added more than 200 in an ODI innings. Mahmudullah, Mehidy, and Nasum Ahmed (18 not out in 11 balls) added 202 between them, four more than the 198 added by Justin Kemp, Shaun Pollock, and Andrew Hall to lift South Africa from 76-6 to 274-7 against India at Johannesburg in 2006/07.

Mehidy is no stranger to batting feats. He made 242 rns at 60.50 and a strike rate of 83 in the 2016 Under-19 World Cup; had scored 103 in a Test match against the West Indies in Chattogram in 2020/21; and has opened batting in both ODIs and T20Is. This year, he has batted seven times at No.8 – amassing 298 runs at 149 (the highest by anyone with a 250-run cut-off) while striking at 85. Apart from the two innings mentioned above, he helped Bangladesh beat India in the last match, scoring 38 not out and adding 51 for the last wicket with Mustafizur Rahman.

Ian Bishop, an ardent admirer of Mehidy from the latter’s Under-19 days, was one of the first to laud him. Others soon followed.

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Series EditorialMehidy Hasan Miraz