Dhaka, January 26: Tamim Iqbal blazed Bangladesh’s fastest ever century in Test cricket to lead their strong reply against India on day three of the second and final Test at the Shere Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur, Dhaka on Tuesday.
Tamim countered-attacked in superb fashion as he smashed 134 from 131 deliveries, having hit 18 boundaries and three sixes.
In their second innings, Bangladesh raced to 187 for one in 41 overs, reducing the deficit to 124 runs.
Junaid Siddique was a bit restrained, scoring 41 from 100 deliveries as the two batsmen were involved in an unbroken stand of 168 runs for the second wicket.
Zaheer Khan made the first breakthrough when he claimed the wicket of Bangladesh opener Imrul Kayes caught by Dinesh Karthik in the covers for five in the fifth over of the day.
Earlier, captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni hit a half-century to help India post a huge 544 for eight in their first innings. India declared their first innings on 544 for eight in 133 overs, for an overall lead of 311 runs.
With injuries severely depleting the side, Dhoni took the responsibility upon himself to take India towards a huge total. The India captain made 89 from 167 deliveries, inclusive of nine boundaries and two sixes, before he was stumped off part-timer Raqibul Hasan.
Yuvraj Singh and Rahul Dravid have already been ruled out of the match, India were left with no option but to declare at the fall of the eighth wicket.
On day two, Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid had hit centuries to help India close on a comfortable 459 for five.
Virender Sehwag hit a brisk 56 from 63 deliveries, adding 103 runs for the opening wicket with Gautam Gambhir to give India a good start.
Gambhir played a solid innings of 68 from 83 deliveries, having hit nine boundaries, before he was caught behind by wicketkeeper Mushfiqur Rahim trying to fend a short delivery fromf Shafiul Islam. The Delhi left-hander registered his 11th half-century in 11 consecutive Tests to equal the record for fifties in most consecutive Tests set by West Indies batting great Viv Richards way back in 1976-77.
Dravid made a solid 111 from 188 deliveries, inclusive of 11 boundaries, before he was forced to retire after getting hit on his helmet by a bouncer from Shahadat Hossain in the 82nd over.
Tendulkar, dropped twice, scored a fluent 143 from 182 deliveries, inclusive of 13 boundaries and a six, before hitting Shakib Al Hasan straight to the midwicket fielder. Murali Vijay eased himself to 30 from 49 deliveries before he hit Shakib straight to the mid-on fielder.
Dravid and Tendulkar were involved in an unbroken stand of 222 runs for the third wicket before the former had to withdraw with injury. It was the 17th century partnership between the two champion batsmen setting a new world record for the most century partnerships in Test cricket. They went past West Indian openers Gordon Greenidge and Desmond Haynes and Australians Mathew Hayden and Justin Langers, who shared 16 century partnerships each.
India lead the two-match series 1-0 after their 113-run victory in the first Test in Chittagong.
Morning session: (85 runs, 30.1 overs, 3 wickets)
Yuvraj Singh and Rahul Dravid were unavailable to take any further part in the match because of injuries which effectively meant India were seven wickets down at the start.
Dhoni got the first boundary of the third day when he lofted a slower delivery from pacer Shafiul Islam over midwicket in the 105th over of the innings.
India lost a wicket early on the fourth day when Zaheer Khan (0) hit a short delivery from Shafiul straight to Shahadat Hossain on the fine leg boundary. (467-6, 106.2)
With just two batsmen to come, Dhoni was keen to attack as he showed when he stepped down the wicket to Shakib and lifted straight down the ground for a six.
Ishant Sharma got off the mark with a sweetly timed boundary through the covers to take India to 486 for six and the lead past the 250-mark.
But it was Dhoni, who was hurting the Bangladesh bowlers the most with frequent hits to the ropes. He punished Shahadat Hossain with back to back boundaries to continue through fine leg and long-on as India continued building the lead.
The India captain completed his half-century off 84 deliveries with a lofted boundary over mid-off in the 115th over bowled by Rubel Hossain.
Ishant also joined in the party with a couple of boundaries in the next over from Shahadat to take India past the 500-run mark in the 116th over.
It seemed Bangladesh had given up hopes as they let Dhoni get easy singles off the fifth or the sixth delivery of the over with ease thereby protecting the lower order.
Part-timer Mohammad Ashraful struck with the wicket of Ishant Sharma when he had him caught behind by wicketkeeper Mushfiqur Rahim. Ishant gave his captain Dhoni good support as he made 13 from 32 deliveries, adding 51 runs for the seventh wicket before he edged one behind the wickets. (518-7, 124)
There was no stopping Dhoni though as he stepped down the wicket to Mahmudullah and cleared the fielder at long-on for his second six of the innings.
But overall the session turned out to be pretty dull with neither side willing to take the initiative.
Finally, Bangladesh managed to get past Dhoni’s defences and it was part-timer Raqibul Hasan, who did the trick. Dhoni was neatly stumped by wicketkeeper Mushfiqur Rahim as he stretched forward and dragged his legs out of the crease for a brief while. The India captain fell for a solid innings of 89 from 167 deliveries, inclusive of nine boundaries and two sixes.
India declared their second innings on 544 for eight in 133 overs with a big lead of 311 runs.
For Bangladesh, Shafiul Islam was the top wicket-taker with three for 86 in 23 overs and caused the batsmen a few problems at the start with his short deliveries. Shakib Al Hasan took two for 118 but like the other spinners took the defensive approach for most part of the innings.
With Yuvraj Singh and Rahul Dravid both being unable to bat, India had no option but to declare their first innings at the fall of the eighth wicket.
Post lunch session: (118 runs, 29 overs, 1 wicket)
India declared their session straight after lunch, which meant Bangladesh, started their second innings with a deficit of 311 runs.
Imrul Kayes got the first boundary of the innings when he smashed a full delivery from Zaheer Khan through the covers in the third over. His partner Tamim Iqbal had his first four when he steered a wide delivery from Zaheer through the point region as Bangladesh reached 19 for no loss after five overs.
It was Zaheer yet again, who provided India with the first breakthrough when he claimed the wicket of Kayes. The left-hander played a loose drive on the off-side and was taken by Dinesh Karthik at covers for five in the fifth over of the innings. (19-1, 4.5)
Despite Bangladesh needing to survive as long as possible, Tamim took a positive approach. He took on the short deliveries from Ishant Sharma for back to back boundaries to take Bangladesh to 39 for one after eight overs.
India introduced spin early when Harbhajan Singh was called into the attack in the 10th over of the innings.
Tamim got his fifth boundary of the innings when he flicked a full delivery from Zaheer to take Bangladesh past 50 in the 11th over. The left-hander was also quick to take the attack to Pragyan Ojha in his first over when he charged down the wicket and hit one over mid-on for a boundary as Bangladesh reached 72 for one after 15 overs.
After a few quiet overs, Tamim broke the shackles when he slog swept Harbhajan for a four and six in successive deliveries to take the total to 103 for one after 22 overs.
With Tamim taking on the spinners, Dhoni decided to bring back Ishant but even he was hit for a boundary straight down the ground. What was even worse for India was that Ishant was giving a second warning for running on the pitch which meant he had to switch to round the wicket.
Junaid proved to be a perfect foil for Tamim as he looked to spend time at the wicket and dealt mostly in singles and twos.
Tamim nearly it all away in the final over before tea when he charged down the wicket and lofted Ojha straight but the ball fell just short of the fielder at long-on.
At tea on the third day, Bangladesh reached 118 for one in 29 overs reducing the deficit to 193 runs.
Tamim was unbeaten on a cracking innings of 79 from 87 deliveries, having hit ten boundaries and a six. He dominated the unbroken stand of 99 runs for the second wicket with Junaid, who was not out on 31 from 72 deliveries, inclusive of three boundaries.
Unlike the first innings, when the Indian pacers ran through the top order, the Bangladesh batsmen had an easy time this time around. The biggest disappointment for India was Harbhajan’s spell as he failed to make any sort of impression during his seven-over spell, but Ojha kept probing as he gave away 23 runs in eight overs.
–Agencies