Birthday special: Tamim Iqbal – 5 best knocks of his career
Tamim Iqbal is one of the most decorated openers for Bangladesh and has helped in ensuring brisk starts for the team on many occasions. In fact, he has also been the Asian team’s backbone ever since he first burst onto the scene at the highest level in 2007.
He currently leads Bangladesh in One Day Internationals and under his guidance, the side beat South Africa by 38 runs in the first ODI at Centurion. As the southpaw turns 33 on March 20, here’s a look at five of his all-time best knocks.
206 vs Pakistan, Khulna, 2015
Tamim registered his highest individual Test score against Pakistan at Khulna in May 2015 which also went down as the highest score by a Bangladeshi batter in red-ball cricket. The southpaw achieved this feat in the second innings of the first Test as he scored his maiden Test double century and was also involved in a 312-run opening stand with Imrul Kayes. He scored 206 runs off 278 deliveries, having batted for 448 minutes as the match ended in a stalemate.
103 vs England, Lord’s, 2010
Tamim registered his name in the Lord’s honour board with an impressive century against England in the first Test in May 2010. What made his third Test century even more special is that he reached the milestone off just 94 deliveries. The dynamic opener took the attack to the English bowlers in the second innings as the visitors were enforced a follow-on. He scored 103 runs from 100 balls before being dismissed. However, England won the contest by eight wickets.
103* vs Oman, Dharamsala, 2016
Tamim went on to score his first and only T20I ton during the ICC T20 World Cup 2016 group game against Oman at Dharamsala in March 2016. He scored an unbeaten 103 runs from 63 balls at a strike rate of 163.49 opening the innings as Bangladesh posted a mammoth 180/2 from their 20 overs which proved to be more than enough.
104 vs England, Dhaka, 2016
Tamim scored an impactful century in the first innings on a rank-turner in a game that the hosts Bangladesh eventually went on to win by 108 runs. His 104-run knock made the difference in the second and final Test as the series ended in a stalemate.
51 vs India, Port of Spain, 2007
This has to be arguably the best knock of Tamim’s career. Chasing 192, the explosive opener was on fifth gear as he took the Indian bowlers to the cleaners in the World Cup 2007 group stage encounter. He scored 51 runs off only 53 balls, which was instrumental in Bangladesh registering their first-ever World Cup win over the Men In Blue by five wickets.
