Tanzid dispels personal demons in first ODI ton

A six over long off saw Tanzid Hasan Tamim reach the magic number, his first-ever ODI ton in his 31st appearance, and the look on his face said it all.

As the ball sailed over the fence, he celebrated with outstretched hands, relieved over finally making a start count, and that too in a crucial series-deciding third ODI against Pakistan yesterday at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium.

The 23-year-old has been under the scanner for almost his entire ODI career. Debuting in August 2023 in the Asia Cup, Tanzid’s first few innings did not merit a chance at that year’s ICC ODI World Cup but when Tamim Iqbal stepped aside, his stars aligned.

That World Cup turned into a baptism of fire for the youngster, who played all nine games, but contributed just 145 runs at an average of 16.11 with one fifty.

His talent was evident, but so was his inconsistency. A few flashy boundaries and a lapse of concentration resulting in dismissal -- that’s how most of his knocks panned out.

There are also signs that he is more suited to the T20 format. In 45 T20Is, Tanzid has 11 fifties and quite a few times he helped the team get off to a flying start.

Yet, in ODIs, questions of temperament remained. He had five fifties before yesterday, and had never delivered a big score that set the tempo, especially when his team batted first.

Ahead of the Pakistan series, a 92 in the Bangladesh Cricket League (BCL) and a ton in the practice match saw him make the playing XI in the first ODI, where he hit a rapid 67.

However, that knock did little to dispel the doubts as it came in a paltry chase of 115. Tanzid did not help his case when he got out cheaply in the second ODI, chasing Pakistan’s 274.

In the series-deciding third ODI, Tanzid showed his flair and sustained it long enough to reach a career milestone.

A confident flick off Haris Rauf got him off the mark in the second over. In that very over, he dispatched Rauf for an effortless six over deep mid-wicket to set the tone.

Bangladesh moved smoothly with Tanzid scoring the bulk of the runs in a 105-run opening stand with Saif Hassan. A 53-run stand with Najmul Hossain Shanto followed, yet there was always the fear that Tanzid might lose his concentration.

After reaching his 80s, Tanzid bunkered down a bit and played risk-free shots to close in on the ton. However, after reaching 94, his natural instincts took over, as he lofted Salman Agha for a six to get his first international ton.

His innings ended on a run-a-ball 107 and it has handed Tanzid the blueprint on how to go about scoring tons in ODIs.