Towhid Hridoy played the innings of his life in Sylhet on Saturday, 7 November, smashing an unbeaten 242 — the highest Test score ever by a Bangladesh batter — to lift Bangladesh from 184 for 7 to a 30-run first-innings lead over West Indies on day three of the second Test.

Bangladesh finished on 386 in reply to West Indies' 356 at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium. Bad light ended play early, with West Indies 7 for no loss in their second innings, still 23 runs behind.

From 184 for 7 to a lead

Bangladesh were in deep trouble. They had slipped to 51 for 3 before a 73-run stand between Hridoy and Mushfiqur Rahim (34) steadied things, but by shortly before lunch on day three they were 184 for 7, staring at a big first-innings deficit. Hridoy, who resumed the day on 29, then took charge.

A 117-run eighth-wicket stand with Taijul Islam (22) dragged Bangladesh to 301 for 8, and Hridoy added 85 more with Taskin Ahmed (12) for the last wicket. In all, he added 202 runs with the last three wickets, and his 213 runs on the day beat Shakib Al Hasan's record of 212 runs in a single day for Bangladesh.

Records tumble

  • Highest Test score by a Bangladesh batter — 242 not out, passing Mushfiqur Rahim's 219 not out against Zimbabwe in 2018.

  • Only the fourth Bangladesh batter to score a Test double century, after Mushfiqur, Tamim Iqbal and Shakib Al Hasan.

  • The first Bangladesh batter to turn a maiden Test century into a double century.

  • Highest individual Test score at Sylhet, passing Mahmudul Hasan Joy's 171 against Ireland.

  • Highest Test score by a Bangladesh batter against West Indies.

  • 11 sixes — the most by a Bangladesh batter in a Test innings — along with 22 fours.

Hridoy, 25, brought up his maiden Test century off 171 balls, and his double century off 304 balls, driving Jomel Warrican to long-off for a single. His 242 came off 359 balls, and he was still unbeaten when the innings ended with Taskin Ahmed's dismissal.

A batter down

Bangladesh did it all a batter short. Opener Shadman Islam did not bat after injuring his ankle on day two, leaving the hosts effectively ten men with the bat. Jomel Warrican was the pick of the West Indies bowlers with 4 for 104, while Jayden Seales took 2 for 58.

Match situation

The second and final Test, played from 5 to 9 November, is part of the ICC World Test Championship 2025-27 cycle. West Indies' openers, King (5 not out) and Da Silva (2 not out), survived to stumps on day three, with two days left in the match.

Source: ICC — https://www.icc-cricket.com/tournaments/world-test-championship/news/hridoy-s-marathon-double-ton-lifts-bangladesh-afloat-in-sylhet