Dashing opening batsman Tamim Iqbal became the first Bangladeshi to smash a hundred in Twenty20 internationals as the Tigers cruised past Oman, registering a comfortable 54-run win to advance into the main round of the 2016 World T20 in Dharamsala yesterday.
The Sunday crowd in Dharamsala was entertained by some extraordinary hitting by Tamim and the Chittagong lad also became the first Bangladesh batsman to score 1000 runs in the shortest format of the game.
“Obviously becoming the first Bangladeshi to score a hundred in T20s is very special and I am very proud. I hope there will be many more centuries from Sabbir [Rahman], Mushfiqur [Rahim], Shakib [al Hasan] and the others. It’s a proud moment for me to score 1000 runs in T20s and I would have felt better if I was able to do it a few matches before. But at the end of the day, I had a race with Shakib. Last time he reached 4000 runs in ODIs ahead of me. But this time I did it so it feels really good,” said Tamim to the media yesterday.
The 26-year old struck a six on 88 to reach the 90s and then realised the century was on the cards as he smashed a boundary towards the cover region to reach the feat. Tamim jumped to the sky and indicated Tigers head coach Chandika Hathurusingha towards the dressing room as the dashing batsman kept his promise of smashing a hundred in T20s.
“I have given a promise after coach asked who would smash the first hundred in the T20s and luckily I was able to do so. However, there are many promises which I have made which did not happen as of yet. And I am sure he (Hathurusingha) is very happy and it’s also pleasing for me that I was able to keep my word,” he said.
“Obviously it’s good to be in touch but I think we have more important tasks ahead in the super 10 stage and I hope that I would be able to contribute for the team,” he added.
