Right hand middle order batter cum wicketkeeper Mushfiqur Rahim proved again that he is the most dependable batter in Bangladesh national cricket team when he scored a steadfast 191 runs in the ongoing first Test of the two- match series at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi, against hosts Pakistan on the fourth day on Saturday.
Mushfiqur, who started his international career against England at the age of 18 years 17 days, had every chance to hammer his 11th Test century and narrowly missed his second double.
He continued to make consistent contributions with the bat as a middle order batter and more than competent as a wicketkeeper of Bangladesh. His moment of fame came in 2010 in a Test against India where he scored a quick-fire century, the quickest by any Bangladeshi to date. He the highest scorers among the Bangladesh batters in the first class cricket with more than 11,000 runs, when he surpassed Tamim Iqbal yesterday after scored 50 runs on the second day.
However, on Saturday, Mushfiqur was a bit slow before taking on the pace just before lunch to reach his century, and carried on after the break with solid technique and patience. Mushfique gave pone just once in the first session of the day to be missed when the medium fast bowler Mohammad Ali went wide of the crease to trap him lbw, on 59, but had the lifeline when review overturned the on-field decision. Ali appealed for lbw trapping the Mushfique with the help of movement off the pitch in front of leg stump and saw the umpire raised his finger. But reviewed with success with ball-tracker showing the ball missing leg stump.
With Bangladesh chipping away at the deficit and Pakistan desperate for wickets, Shan Masood brought on spin from both ends with 12 minutes left for lunch and Mushfiqur cashed in. He smote Saim Ayub for back-to-back fours, first against the turn over midwicket and then to the long-on rope, to reach 96, and in the next over nudged one to the leg side for two to spark off animated celebrations for his hundred.
But the Mr dependable finally offered his wicket to that Moahammed Ali when the Pakistani bowler finally finds the breakthrough. Mushfiq tries to play square cut on back of a length delivery on the fifth stump channel was beaten by the extra bounce and pace, finds a thick outside edge and a straightforward catch for Rizwan and missed his second double century just for nine runs short.
