OTD in 2001: Mohammad Ashraful became the youngest Test centurion

Mohammad Ashraful [PC: Twitter]

Dreams are not those which come while we are asleep. In fact, dreams are those which don't let us sleep. 

The dream of representing his nation in the purest format and making his countrymen proud with his performance is something a cricketer always wants to fulfil. On this day, a certain Mohammad Ashraful turned that dream into reality and scripted his name on the record book as the youngest ever Test centurion. 

What transpired in the match?

After being put into bat first by hosts Sri Lanka, Bangladesh fell like a pack of cards and were eventually bundled out for a paltry 90 in their first innings. Legendary spinner Muttiah Muralitharan was the wrecker-in-chief for Sri Lanka, scalping five wickets for just 13 runs. 

In reply, the Lankan lions went on to post a mammoth 555 runs on the board, courtesy of a marvellous double century from Marvan Attapattu and a gorgeous 150 from Mahela Jayawardene. 

Now imagine the scenario from Bangladesh's point of view. They were in all sorts of trouble against a robust Lankan outfit, trailing by a massive 465-run margin. In all likelihood, their defeat was on the cards. 

To make the matter worse for the Tigers, Sri Lanka came out with all guns blazing, dismissing their top four for a mere 81 on the board. However, a young 17-year-old Ashraful stepped up for the sake of his nation's pride.

The technique he exhibited against Sri Lanka's legendary bowlers was exemplary, to say the least. His gorgeous 114-run knock, which came off 212 deliveries, was studded with sixteen glorious boundaries. His grit, determination and stroke-play were merely indicators of his incredible talent at that tender age. 

Although Bangladesh lost the match convincingly, Ashraful's heroic century powered them to a respectable total of 328, helping them sign off with their heads held high. 

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