All-rounder Mehedi Hasan Miraz smashed his maiden ODI ton and was involved in a record seventh-wicket stand with Mahmudullah Riyad as Bangladesh posted a challenging total after a batting meltdown in their second ODI against India at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur on Wednesday.
Courtesy of Miraz's unbeaten 83-ball 100 and a 148-run stand for the seventh wicket between him and Mahmudullah, Bangladesh were able to post 271 for seven after losing six for only 69 at one stage of the game.
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The mammoth partnership between Miraz and Mahmudullah is the highest for any wicket by Bangladesh against India. A 133-run third-wicket stand between Anamul Haque Bijoy and Mushfiqur Rahim against India in Fatullah back in 2014 was the previous best in this regard.
Mehedi and Mahmudullah's partnership also became the highest seventh-wicket stand by any team against India, surpassing an unbeaten 126-run stand between Sri Lanka's Mahela Jayawardene and Upul Chandana for the seventh-wicket against India in 2005.
Brimming with confidence after almost single-handedly taking Bangladesh over the line in the first ODI in their narrow one-wicket victory, Miraz dominated the Indian bowlers throughout today.
Miraz started the innings steadily, as it was needed when he came down with Bangladesh reeling after losing more than half of their lineup. He picked up the pace gradually and was not afraid to use his feet against the spinners.
The 25-year-old smashed a total of eight boundaries and four maximums, including the two sixes off Shardul Thakur in the final over. He got to the landmark score by pushing down mid-on for a single in the final delivery of the innings.
Mahmudullah, who was heavily criticised for a slow strike rate in the previous ODI that almost saw the game slip away from Bangladesh, batted at a healthy 80.20 strike rate. The veteran batter took the charge to the Indian bowlers at the death, hitting Siraj for two boundaries in the 46th over.
However, Mahmudullah's 96-ball 77, laced with seven boundaries, came to an end in the 47th over off an Umran Malik delivery as the all-rounder looked to accelerate further at the death.
But that wicket did not stop the flow of runs as Nasum Ahmed, coming in at number 9, smashed two boundaries and a maximum during his 11-ball 18-run blitz to help Bangladesh's cause. Nasum and Miraz combined for a quick-fire 54-run stand off just 23 deliveries to help Bangladesh finish on a high.