Mushfiqur Rahim Smashes Historic Century in His 100th Test!

Mushfiqur Rahim had spent more than 17 long hours stranded on 99 not out after the umpires removed the bails at the end of the opening day’s play. With the entire nation waiting for a single stroke, the veteran walked out on the second morning at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium knowing exactly what was at stake. It did not take him long. In the very first over of the new day, Mushfiqur nudged the ball into the leg side and raised his arms—an iconic moment that confirmed his place in cricketing history.

Playing in his 100th Test match, Mushfiqur became the first Bangladeshi cricketer to reach the milestone, and he marked it in the grandest way possible. His century makes him only the 11th batter in Test history to score a hundred in his 100th match, joining some of the greatest names the sport has ever seen.

The elite list before Mushfiqur included Colin Cowdrey, Gordon Greenidge, Javed Miandad, Alec Stewart, Inzamam-ul-Haq, Ricky Ponting (who scored tons in both innings), Graeme Smith, Hashim Amla, Joe Root and David Warner. Root and Warner went even further by scoring double centuries in their respective landmark Tests—an opportunity Mushfiqur still has as the match progresses.

At 38 years and 6 months, Mushfiqur is the second-oldest batter to reach a century in his 100th Test. Only West Indian great Gordon Greenidge was older, scoring his in 1988 at 38 years and nearly 12 months.

This innings marks Mushfiqur’s 13th Test century, extending his record as Bangladesh’s leading Test centurion—a tally shared only with Mominul Haque, who also has 13 hundreds from 75 matches. The veteran wicketkeeper-batter’s sense of calm and discipline was on full display as he reached three figures from 195 deliveries, hitting just five boundaries. His approach was cautious yet composed, fully aware of the historic weight of the moment.

Bangladesh were under pressure when Mushfiqur arrived at the crease on day one, having lost three wickets for 95 runs. His partnership with Mominul Haque, worth 107 runs, repaired the early damage and steadied the innings. After Muminul departed for 63, Mushfiqur built another valuable stand with Liton Das. The pair added an unbroken 90 runs before stumps, ensuring Bangladesh finished the day in control.

His innings was a statement of longevity, consistency and resilience—qualities that have defined Mushfiqur’s career for nearly two decades. For a player who has repeatedly carried Bangladesh through difficult situations, scoring a century in his 100th Test feels not only symbolic but entirely fitting.

As the match unfolds, Mushfiqur still holds the chance to lift his innings into even rarer territory by becoming the third batter to score a double hundred in a centenary Test. But regardless of what follows, this historic knock has already cemented his legacy as one of Bangladesh’s greatest ever cricketers.

Khaborwala/SJ