Towhid Hridoy and Jaker Ali Anik created a new record in ICC Champions Trophy during Bangladesh's opening match against India at Dubai International Cricket Stadium.
Although Bangladesh lost the game by six wickets, the 154-run partnership between Towhid Hridoy and Jaker Ali Anik is not only the highest sixth-wicket partnership for Bangladesh, but also the highest for any team against India and the highest for this wicket in the history of the Champions Trophy.
The highest partnership for the sixth wicket or below in the Champions Trophy so far was 131 by South Africa's Justin Kemp and Mark Boucher against Pakistan in 2006. And the highest for Bangladesh for this wicket was 150 not out by Jaker-Mahmudullah against the West Indies in St. Kitts last December.
Jaker-Hridoy's 150-plus partnership came in the wake of another familiar disastrous start. After opting to bat first, Bangladesh were reduced to 35-5 in 8.3 overs and things looked that Bangladesh wouldn't be able to go past 100 but the partnership helped the side post 228 before being all out in 49.4
overs.
In the history of the last nine editions of the Champions Trophy, five or more wickets have fallen in the first 10 overs four times. Bangladesh have lost five or more wickets thrice out of those four (44-6 against New Zealand in 2002 and 26-5 against the West Indies in 2004 and now 35-5 against India).
Both Hridoy and Jaker played with caution until they reached 50. Jaker was dismissed after scoring 68 but Hridoy went on to score his maiden century.
Towhid Hridoy became the second Bangladeshi after Tamim Iqbal to score a century on his Champions Trophy debut.
Hridoy, who came out to bat in the seventh over, could not run properly after 40 overs due to muscle camp. He was literally forced to walk for runs from the 45th over but at the end, he did what etched his name permanently to folklore of Champions Trophy history.
