From 77/6 to 675/9 - Rajshahi script unbelievable comeback in Bangladesh first-class division

More than just ‘useful’ batting – Farhad Reza became the 3rd double centurion in the tournament, coming in to bat at no. 7

Heard about comebacks, right? Well, a colossal comeback took place in Bangladesh’s first-class league over the last couple of days, when Rajshahi Division lost their first 6 wickets for just 77 runs, before their number 7, 8 and 9 batsmen added almost 600 runs to leave the opposition, Chittagong Division, stunned.

The ongoing Walton 15th National Cricket League witnessed a spectacular turnaround over the last 2 days, with 5-times champions Rajshahi Division amassing 675/9 in their first innings. Having won the toss and electing to bat first, Rajshahi were on the backfoot when they lost their top 6 for a measly 77 on board, including Bangladesh skipper Mushfiqur Rahim.

However, a 347-run partnership between Farhad Reza (259 off 334) and Sanjamul Islam (172 off 196), followed by a 224-run stand between Reza and Mukhtar Ali (168 off 148) resulted in a dramatic change of fortunes.

Mukhtar Ali hit a world record 16 sixes in his innings

In this epic innings, quite a few records were broken:

- Mukhtar hit a world record 16 sixes (in first-class cricket) in his innings. He equalled the record made by Andrew Symonds (1995), Graham Napier (2011) and Jesse Ryder (2011/12) before him.

- The 347-run partnership between Reza and Islam is the 2nd highest 7th-wicket partnership in first-class cricket.

- The 224-run stand between Reza and Mukhtar is the highest 8th wicket partnership in Bangladesh.

- Farhad became the 3rd double centurion in tournament’s history, and now holds the record of the highest score ever by a Bangladeshi No.7 batsman.

- Rajshahi’s score of 675/9 is the 5th highest team total in Bangladesh.

Bangladesh opener Tamim Iqbal was himself at the receiving end of Mukhtar’s blitz, leaking 68 runs in his 8 overs.

“Muktar went to bat after a big partnership by Sanjamul and Farhad, who was at the other end and was in a very good position, and in these situations a new batsman tends to score quickly and eventually throws his wicket.

“But Muktar paced his innings very well and he has played all the cricketing shots to smash those sixteen sixes. As an opponent I should never feel good, but I really enjoyed his innings and I must say he played really well,” Tamim told Dhaka Tribune.

Mukhtar continued his heroics on the field when he came out to bowl, picking 3 wickets in 6.1 overs, running through Chittagong’s top order, before the physical exhaustion led him to leave the field due to a calf muscle problem. Chittagong were 165/7 at stumps on Day 2 of the 4-day fixture.