Mushfiqur Rahim believes that having played international cricket for more than 20 years helped him get ready for the hype, pressure, and expectations surrounding his 100th Test match. Because to his ability to pull the side out of danger on the first morning, Mushfiqur became the ninth cricketer to achieve a century in their 100th Test.
Mushfiqur had two century stands: 107 for the fourth wicket with Mominul Haque and 108 for the fifth wicket with Litton Das. However, he remained undefeated on 99 overnight on Wednesday, so he had to face a tense evening. Given that he was playing well in Bangladesh’s previous Test series in June, his on-field performance wasn’t particularly surprising. Mushfiqur claimed that he is still in shock at being the first Bangladeshi cricket player to surpass the 100-test mark.
“I can’t believe that someone from Bangladesh has played a hundred Tests, so it’s really a huge achievement,” said Mushfiqur.
For any player, it is a moment of pride. It goes without saying that I’m glad I could be that person. I have more responsibilities now. As long as I am playing for Bangladesh, I want to give back, and I want to make sure that there are one or two players who can step in for me once I leave the dressing room.
Since I believe that 100 is a big number, I have gained a lot of knowledge in the process. I’ve made an effort to gain experience and developed my ability to maintain composure. Sincerely, I would like to express my gratitude to the BCB for their first morning’s planning. I truly felt honoured, and it feels fantastic. I believe that cricket players can be inspired by this kind of recognition. It’s crucial that they have aspirations of playing 100 Test matches.
A feature of Mushfiqur’s career that has increased over the past five years is his statement that he was aiming for a huge hundred in the first innings.
Since these things are difficult, I made an effort to accomplish the milestone last night. They had the option to bowl one more over, but I recognise that this is a tactical decision. If we had been on the fielding side, I believe we would have taken the same action.
At the same time, I wasn’t content with simply hitting the mark; I wanted to score a large hundred. I made an effort to remind myself that I wanted to score more than just one run—60 or 70. My goal was to bat until Litton reached his century. “Miraz batted well after that, but I couldn’t do it,” he remarked.
This week has been a time for reflection on cricket in Bangladesh. Numerous former teammates and coaches have spoken tribute to Mushfiqur’s career. Given how much importance Mushfiqur sets on Test cricket, it was also essential to hear his thoughts on reaching this milestone.
“On the first day, I informed the team huddle that the team always comes first. Bangladesh is the cause of Mushfiqur Rahim. I consider myself to be a drop in the ocean. Whether I score or not, a victory in this Test match will be my greatest present because Bangladesh comes first,” he declared.
Mushfiqur, who attended BKSP, the nation’s largest sports school, after growing up in the northern town of Bogra, declared that he would dedicate the century in his 100th Test to his grandparents.
“I would like to devote this century to my maternal and paternal grandparents. When they were living, they were my biggest admirers. Just before they passed away, they expressed to me their desire to live a little while longer so they could see me perform. I believe that people rarely receive grandparents like that. I’ve come this far thanks to their blessings.”
Although he didn’t give away too much about his long-term prospects, Mushfiqur stated that he is excited about Bangladesh’s upcoming Test match, a two-match series against Pakistan at home in April.
“I believe there will be a four-month hiatus before we play Pakistan. That’s all. I’m aware that I need to keep getting better. I want to play as long as the team and management want me to, and I’m confident that I’ll keep playing if they do.”
India
