Debutant, batting at 10, saves Bangladesh

Hasan’s unbeaten ton keeps West Indies at bay in 2nd Test.

KHULNA: Bangladesh number 10 Abul Hasan scored an unbeaten century on his test debut yesterday to complete an astonishing comeback by the home team on the opening day of the second test against West Indies.

After fast-bowler Fidel Edwards had taken five wickets to help reduce Bangladesh to 193 for eight, Hasan and Mahmudullah (72*) added 172 runs in an unbroken ninth-wicket partnership. At close, Bangladesh were a respectable 365 for eight after adding a staggering 179 runs in the final session.

“My first aim was to give support to Mahmudullah,” said Hasan. “It all happened after I got my fifty. I thought of a century only after I crossed the 70-run mark. When I went for batting I considered myself as a batsman and that’s it.”

Hasan, 20, became only the second debutant in Test history to record a century on debut batting at number 10 after Australian Reggie Duff who scored 104 against England at Melbourne in 1902.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 22^nd, 2012.