Bangladesh opener Tamim Iqbal. COURTESY
Bangladesh opener Tamim Iqbal has been in sublime form in the ongoing first Test against Sri Lanka at Pallekele International Cricket Stadium in Kandy. After scoring 90 runs in the first innings, he again smashed fifty in the second innings. The opener set a world record by scoring a half-century quickly off just 56 balls. He broke the record of an Australian batsman set 131 years ago.
In the second innings, Tamim started scoring runs in ODI mood despite pacer Suranga Lakmal took Saif Hassan (1) and the centurion in first innings, Najmul Hossain Shanto (0) in quick succession. Then captain Mominul Haque gave Tamim proper support in a 73-run partnership in which Tamim alone contributed 50 runs.
When Bangladesh’s team run was 52, Tamim’s half century was completed. On the way to make these 50 runs, Tamim slammed 7 fours and 2 sixes. This was the 30th half century of Tamim’s Test career.
This was the lowest team total when a player reached 50 in a Test innings. The record was jointly held by the late Australian batsman John James Lyons for so many years. JJ Lyons hit a half-century in 1890 when Australia were 55 against England at Lord’s. Until 2014, this record was in Lyons’ hand.
But in 2014, West Indies attacking batsman Chris Gayle repeated this record. The Caribbean opener hit a fifty when West Indies scored 55 against New Zealand in Port of Spain.
Meanwhile, Tamim and Mominul ensured that the Test match would end in a draw. Currently, the play has been delayed due to rain which means the last session of the first Test isn’t very far away to the end.
Lowest team total when a player reaches 50 in a Test innings:
52 Tamim Iqbal Bdesh v SL Pallekele 2021
55 JJ Lyons Aus v Eng Lord’s 1890
55 CH Gayle WI v NZ Port-of-Spain 2014
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