SYLHET: Towhid Hridoy converted his maiden Test century into a sublime double hundred to put Bangladesh in a commanding position in the second and final Test against West Indies at Sylhet International Cricket Stadium today.
His record-breaking knock lifted Bangladesh to 386, giving the hosts a crucial 30-run first-innings lead after they had appeared destined to concede a substantial deficit. West Indies reached 7 without loss before bad light forced an early end to the third day's play.
Hridoy remained unbeaten on 242 off 359 balls, striking 22 fours and 11 sixes in an innings that will go down as one of the finest in Bangladesh's Test history.
He became only the fourth Bangladeshi batter to score a double century in Tests, joining Mushfiqur Rahim, Shakib Al Hasan and Tamim Iqbal. More significantly, he surpassed Mushfiqur's previous national record of 219 to become Bangladesh's highest individual scorer in the format.
The 25-year-old also became the first Bangladeshi batter to convert his maiden Test century into a double hundred, achieving the remarkable feat in only his third Test appearance.
Hridoy's innings was all the more impressive considering the circumstances in which he arrived at the crease. Bangladesh were struggling at 22-2 before he steadied the innings and gradually took control of the contest.
Resuming at 88-3 on the third morning, Hridoy and Mushfiqur negotiated the West Indies attack confidently before left-arm spinner Jomel Warrican broke their 73-run partnership by dismissing Mushfiqur for 34.
Warrican and captain Roston Chase then triggered a middle-order collapse, with Bangladesh losing three wickets in quick succession to slip to 184-7.
Just when West Indies appeared poised to take a commanding first innings lead, Hridoy found an able ally in Taijul Islam. The pair added 117 runs for the eighth wicket to revive Bangladesh's hopes and take the total beyond 300.
Hridoy brought up his maiden Test century off 171 balls, taking a single off Chase in the final over before lunch.
Having reached three figures, he shifted gears dramatically, unleashing an astonishing counterattack on the West Indies bowlers. He struck 10 of his 11 sixes after reaching his century, putting the visitors' bowling attack under unprecedented pressure.
The 10 sixes after his hundred helped him set a new benchmark for a Bangladeshi batter in a Test innings, while his overall tally of 11 sixes placed him among the second highest six-hitters in Test history behind Pakistan's Wasim Akram and India's Yashasvi Jaiswal.
Warrican, who finished with 4-104, eventually ended Taijul's resistance for 22, but Hridoy continued his assault with Taskin Ahmed.
The pair added 85 runs for the ninth wicket, taking Bangladesh past West Indies' first innings total and giving the hosts a valuable lead.
Hridoy completed his double century off 304 balls, guiding a delivery from Warrican towards long-off for a single.
His unbeaten 242 remained the centrepiece of Bangladesh's innings as Jayden Seales dismissed Taskin to end the innings at 386. Opener Shadman Islam could not bat after injuring his ankle on the second day.
Bangladesh's bowlers, however, squandered two reviews in the opening over of the West Indies' second innings. Openers Brandon King and Joshua da Silva negotiated the remaining four overs without losing a wicket as the visitors reached 7-0 at stumps.
