Dashing opener Tamim Iqbal has crossed a milestone of six thousand runs mark in ODI format in style. In doing so, the Bangladesh's batsman hit three consecutive half centuries in the last three matches of the seven-match Tri-nation series, report agencies.
Tamim, the most ODI run getter of Bangladesh, touched the 6000th-run mark, taking a single off Zimbabwean skipper Graeme Cremer in 34.1 overs in the 5th match of Tri-nation series at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium (SBNCS) at Mirpur in the capital on Tuesday. In the day's match, Tamim played an innings of 76 off 105 balls, including six boundaries, when his side collected 216/9 in 50 overs.
Earlier in the last two matches of the current series, Tamim fired two successive half centuries with firing 84 runs each against Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka.
The 28-year-old cricketer from Chittagong, Tamim started the series with 244 runs short of 6000th, having 5766 runs in his account, and added 244 runs more with three successive half centuries in the Tigers last three matches of the series to score 6010 runs at average 35.35.
Making his ODI debut against Zimbabweans in Harare in February 2007, Tamim played 177 matches and hit nine centuries and 41 half centuries, which is also the highest for any Bangladesh cricketers.
Meanwhile, Tamim is now the batsman with most runs at a single venue and he has surpassed former Sri Lankan opener Sanath Jayasuriya.
In Colombo's Premadasa Stadium, Jayasuriya played 71 ODIs and scored 2514 runs including 4 hundreds and 19 fifties. After the innings against Zimbabwe, Tamim has now 2549 runs at Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium at Mirpur in the city. He scored 5 hundreds and 16 fifties in this venue.