Bangladesh cricket has a new record holder, and his name is Towhid Hridoy.
Playing for Bangladesh A against South Africa A in the second unofficial Test at Senwes Park, Potchefstroom, Hridoy walked off unbeaten on 350 — the highest individual score ever made by a Bangladeshi batter in first-class cricket. It’s the kind of innings fans will talk about for years, and honestly, it deserves every bit of that attention.
How the Innings Unfolded
The match itself had a tricky start for Bangladesh A. South Africa A piled up 512 runs in their first innings, putting real pressure on the visitors to respond. Hridoy answered that pressure the best way possible — by batting almost the entire final day and refusing to give his wicket away.
He faced 481 balls in total. Along the way, he built two huge partnerships that kept Bangladesh’s innings alive: a 151-run stand for the fifth wicket with Jaker Ali, who made 94, and then an even bigger 185-run stand for the sixth wicket with Mohammad Saifuddin, who contributed 87. Even after Bangladesh lost their eighth wicket with Hridoy on 225, he simply carried on, guiding the tail through to a declaration alongside Rejaur Rahman, who stayed not out on 31 off 110 balls.
Bangladesh A eventually declared at 676 for 8 — their highest-ever total in this fixture. South Africa A managed just 18 for no loss in 12 overs before both sides agreed to a draw, meaning the hosts took the two-match series 1-0, having already won the first game by an innings and 413 runs in Pretoria.
Breaking Tamim Iqbal’s Long-Standing Record
The biggest story of the day came during the post-tea session, when Hridoy went past Tamim Iqbal’s unbeaten 334 — a record Tamim had set for East Zone against Central Zone in the Bangladesh Cricket League back in 2019-20. That record had stood for years, and now it belongs to Hridoy.
With this innings, Hridoy also became only the third Bangladeshi batter ever to score a first-class triple century, joining Tamim and Raqibul Hasan, who made 313* in a National Cricket League match back in 2007. What makes Hridoy’s achievement even more special is that he’s the first Bangladeshi to reach a triple century outside the country.
Interestingly, Tamim Iqbal — now the president of the Bangladesh Cricket Board — was among the first to congratulate Hridoy. He called the innings a symbol of how far the country’s cricket has progressed, showing genuine sportsmanship despite losing his own record.
A Rare Feat on South African Soil
Triple centuries don’t come easy anywhere, but they’re especially rare in South Africa. Hridoy became just the 12th batter in history to score a first-class triple century in the country, and the first overseas batter to do it in 78 years — since England’s Denis Compton scored exactly 300 back in 1948.
Hridoy’s 350 now stands as the highest score ever made by an overseas batter on South African soil, in first-class cricket. He also finished with the second-highest individual innings ever recorded in South African first-class cricket history, behind only Stephen Cook’s 390.
Why He Stopped at 350
Here’s the part that says a lot about Hridoy’s mindset. He had every chance to push on and possibly become the first Bangladeshi to score 400 in a first-class innings. But instead, he chose to declare, putting the team’s position in the match ahead of personal milestones. It’s a decision that shows real maturity from a player who’s clearly grown into a leadership role for Bangladesh A.