Towhid Hridoy smashes record 242 as Bangladesh take lead against West Indies

Towhid Hridoy smashed an unbeaten 242, becoming Bangladesh's highest individual Test scorer as the hosts reached 386 against West Indies in Sylhet. His maiden double century helped Bangladesh secure a 30-run first-innings lead after recovering from 184-7

Sylhet: Bangladesh batter Towhid Hridoy converted his maiden century into a double century to put his team in a dominant position in the second and final Test against the West Indies on Saturday.

His masterclass helped Bangladesh reach 386, securing a 30-run first-innings lead after being in a seemingly hopeless position. The West Indies were 7 without loss when bad light forced an early end to play.

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Hridoy remained unbeaten on 242 off 359 balls, hitting 22 fours and 11 sixes.

He became the fourth Bangladeshi batter to score a double century after Mushfiqur Rahim, Shakib Al Hasan and Tamim Iqbal. He also surpassed Mushfiqur’s 219 to become Bangladesh’s highest individual Test scorer.

Hridoy led the side astutely when Bangladesh appeared set to concede a substantial first-innings lead after the West Indies were bowled out for 356.

“It’s unbelievable how he was still able to find boundaries and hit sixes even when he started getting tired,” Bangladesh coach Phil Simmons said of Hridoy. “He showed outstanding game awareness, knowing which shots to play and when to give the last three batsmen the strike. Everything he did in this innings was exceptional.”

Resuming at 88-3 on Day 3, Hridoy and Mushfiqur negotiated the West Indies bowlers well before Jomel Warrican dismissed Mushfiqur, ending their 73-run partnership.

Warrican and skipper Roston Chase then triggered a collapse as Bangladesh lost three wickets in quick succession to be reduced to 184-7.

Hridoy then helped the side stage a comeback by adding 117 runs with Taijul Islam for the eighth wicket.

He brought up his maiden century off 171 balls with a single off Chase, which also took Bangladesh past 300.

After reaching his century, Hridoy became more adventurous, launching a spectacular assault on the West Indies bowlers. Ten of his 11 sixes, the most by any Bangladeshi batter and the second-highest tally in cricket history, came during this period, leaving the visiting bowlers struggling.

Warrican, who took 4-104, finally broke through by dismissing Taijul for 22.

But Hridoy remained unstoppable, sharing an 85-run partnership with Taskin Ahmed for the ninth wicket to put Bangladesh ahead.

He brought up his double century off 304 balls by driving Warrican to long-off for a single.

“We were thinking about what lead we could have got or how big the lead could have been, but the way Hridoy batted was special,” Warrican said. “We have to reflect on things that we could have done better. As a unit, we still have to keep our heads up because there’s a job to be done. We have to come back well tomorrow.”

Jayden Seales dismissed Taskin to end Bangladesh’s innings, while opener Shadman Islam was unable to bat after injuring his ankle on Day 2.

Bangladesh’s bowlers lost two reviews in the first over before West Indies openers Joshua Da Silva and Brandon King negotiated four overs safely without losing a wicket.