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Highest Individual Scores By Active Bangladesh Players At Number Six In ODIs

Aakash Saini

Highest individual scores by active Bangladesh players at number six [Source: @BCBtigers/x]Highest individual scores by active Bangladesh players at number six [Source: @BCBtigers/x]

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The Bangladesh cricket team boasts of a formidable batting line-up in ODIs. While Bangladesh’s top-order has been ably commanded by the likes of Tamim Iqbal and Litton Das in the past few years, the primary essence of their run-scoring success can be attributed to the skills of its rich middle-order.

Middle-order batting stalwarts like Mahmudullah, Shakib Al Hasan and Mushfiqur Rahim have often demonstrated exceptional performance at the time of crisis to rescue their team from even the most precarious of positions. Here, we retrospect Bangladesh’s number six batting position in ODIs, considering its significance to a team’s middle and lower order, and examine five of the highest scores recorded by the nation’s batters at that position.

5. Mahmudullah – 98 vs Afghanistan, 2024

Mahmudullah – 98 vs Afghanistan, 2024 [Source: @saifahmed75/x]Mahmudullah – 98 vs Afghanistan, 2024 [Source: @saifahmed75/x]

Senior Bangladesh all-rounder Mahmudullah belted a run-a-ball 98 against Afghanistan in the series-deciding third ODI at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium in November 2024. The 38-year-old listed seven boundaries and three sixes in the process after arriving to the crease in just the 15th over of the match. Lifting Bangladesh from a precarious 72-4 after the dismal show from the top-order, Mahmudullah shared 145 runs for the fifth wicket with fellow half-centurion and captain Mehidy Hasan Miraz to steer his team towards a competitive 244-8 by the completion of their 50 overs.

Overall, Mahmudullah’s fighting knock marked his 29th ODI half-century as he missed his fifth ton in the format by mere two runs.

4. Mushfiqur Rahim – 100* vs Ireland, 2023

Mushfiqur Rahim – 100* vs Ireland, 2023 [Source: @FanCode/x]Mushfiqur Rahim – 100* vs Ireland, 2023 [Source: @FanCode/x]

Senior man Mushfiqur Rahim clobbered a 60-ball 100* against Ireland in the second ODI of Bangladesh’s three-match home series back in March 2023 in Sylhet. The seasoned wicketkeeper-batter smeared 14 boundaries and two sixes and blazed Bangladesh’s total to a staggering 349-6. Batting at number six, he arrived to the crease following the dismissal of Najmul Hossain Shanto in the 34th over.

Unfortunately for Mushfiqur, the entirety of the second half of the match was washed out owing to rains, and his scintillating century resulted in a tame no result. Nonetheless, the innings remains the fastest ODI ton recorded by any Bangladeshi batter to date in history, regardless of the batting position.

3. Sabbir Rahman – 102 vs New Zealand, 2019

Out of favor Bangladesh batter Sabbir Rahman notched up his magnum opus ODI performance back in February 2019 against hosts New Zealand in Dunedin. Chasing 331 for an unlikely victory, Rahman played lone hand in Bangladesh’s faltering cause by scoring 102 runs from 110 balls with 12 boundaries and a couple of sixes. Defying the likes of Tim Southee, Trent Boult, Lockie Ferguson and Mitchell Santner for a major part of Bangladesh’s innings, the right-hander saved his team from the blushes after they were reduced to 2-3 at one stage.

As it turned out, Sabbir Rahman’s courageous batting act at number six was tendered in vain as New Zealand claimed a huge 88-run victory and a 3-0 series sweep over the visitors.

2. Mahmudullah – 102* vs New Zealand, 2017

Mahmudullah – 102* vs New Zealand, 2017 [Source: @ICC/x]Mahmudullah – 102* vs New Zealand, 2017 [Source: @ICC/x]

In a crucial Group A match of the 2017 Champions Trophy in Cardiff, Mahmudullah drove Bangladesh to a clinical five-wicket win over New Zealand to knock the latter out of the competition’s opening round. Batting at number six and arriving to the crease at 33-4 in a chase of 266, Mahmudullah carved an unbeaten 102 from 107 balls with eight boundaries and two sixes. His 224-run partnership with fellow centurion Shakib Al Hasan (114) helped Bangladesh qualify for the Champions Trophy semifinals for the very first time in their ODI history.

1. Mahmudullah – 111 vs South Africa, 2023

Mahmudullah – 111 vs South Africa, 2023 [Source: @BCBtigers/x]Mahmudullah – 111 vs South Africa, 2023 [Source: @BCBtigers/x]

Mahmudullah registered his fourth ODI century, doing so at the 2023 World Cup against South Africa at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium in October 2023. The Bangladeshis were reeling at 42-4, soon to be 81-6, and chasing a colossal 383 for an unlikely victory. Taking charge in the 12th over, number six batter Mahmudullah muscled a run-a-ball 111 with 11 boundaries and four sixes to attain some batting respectability for his team.

Mahmudullah’s innings helped Bangladesh reach 233 before his dismissal to Gerald Coetzee, as Shakib Al Hasan and co. escaped from suffering an even bigger margin of defeat at the hands of the rampaging Proteas.