Towhid's 350 Wins Hridoy

Six and a half years after helping Bangladesh create history by winning the Under-19 World Cup in Potchefstroom, South Africa, Towhid Hridoy has returned to the same venue to make history once again—this time as captain of the Bangladesh ‘A’ team.

On Wednesday, the newly appointed skipper became the first Bangladeshi batter to score a first-class triple-century on foreign soil. He also eclipsed the national first-class record previously held by Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) president and former international Tamim Iqbal.

Hridoy declared unbeaten on 350 off 481 deliveries against South Africa ‘A’, smashing 28 fours and nine sixes. Tamim’s previous record of 334, set in 2020, was surpassed, while Rakibul Hasan’s 313 also fell by the wayside.

The 25-year-old’s 350 is additionally the highest first-class score by an overseas batter in South Africa, surpassing Denis Compton’s 300 for MCC during the 1948-49 season.

Resuming unbeaten on 75 on the third day, Hridoy went on to complete his double-century before reaching the landmark triple-century on the fourth day. He brought up 300 from 451 balls, with 25 fours and six sixes at that stage.

Hridoy is only the third Bangladeshi batter to register a first-class triple-century. Rakibul Hasan was the first, scoring an unbeaten 313 for Barisal Division against Sylhet in the 2006-07 National Cricket League. Tamim later broke that mark with 334 for East Zone against Central Zone in the 2020 Bangladesh Cricket League.

Chasing South Africa ‘A’s 512, Bangladesh ‘A’ declared at 676, securing a 164-run first-innings lead. Hridoy played a key role in the recovery, sharing a 153-run fifth-wicket partnership with Jaker Ali Anik and an 185-run sixth-wicket stand with Saifuddin. Jaker scored 94, while Saifuddin contributed 87.

Following Bangladesh ‘A’s heavy innings-and-413-run defeat in the opening four-day match, the BCB drafted Hridoy into the squad and handed him the captaincy for the final unofficial Test. He responded emphatically, producing a record-breaking 350 on his captaincy debut.

A regular in Bangladesh’s white-ball setup, Hridoy is still developing his credentials in red-ball cricket. He managed only 12 runs across two innings on his Test debut against Zimbabwe in Harare last June.

With the selectors keen for him to gain more first-class experience before becoming a regular in international red-ball cricket, Hridoy’s extraordinary 350 in Potchefstroom has made a compelling case for his continued development in the longer format.