When Mushfiqur Rahim and Tamim Iqbal were playing age-group cricket, the two were roommates. They became friends. But only one would earn the glory of becoming the first Bangladeshi batsman to earn 5,000 runs in Test cricket.
Tamim retired hurt on the third day of the Test against Sri Lanka in Chattogram on 133, just 19 runs short of the target. Mushfiq started Wednesday, the fourth day of the Test, just 15 runs shy. It took 48 balls for him to enter the record books, reports bdnews24.com.
The shot that brought up the milestone wasn’t intentional. Asitha Fernando bowled his delivery short and towards the body. The ball rapped off Mushfiq’s gloves and went to fine leg for a couple of runs.
Tamim broke Habibur Bashar's record of 3,026 in 2015 to become the Tigers' leading scorer in the Test format. Tamim and Mushfiq have swapped the record several times since.
Mushfiq has had the longest career in international cricket in Bangladesh's history and is now playing in his 81st Test match.
At lunch on Wednesday, the Tigers stood at 385/3, trailing Sri Lanka by 14 runs.
Sri Lankan bowler Kasun Rajitha resumed the attack after lunch. He picked up the wickets of Litton Das and Tamim, who was back at the crease, in his first two deliveries, leaving the Tigers at 386/5 at the end of 135 overs, with Shakib Al Hasan and Mushfiqur Rahim at the crease.
A 199 from Angelo Mathews powered the Sri Lankans to a total of 397 in the first innings. Off-spinner Nayeem Hasan picked up 6/105.