The first century is always special: Tanzid

Bangladesh opener Tanzid Hasan Tamim repaid the faith shown in him with a maiden ODI century, helping the hosts clinch the three-match series against Pakistan 2-1.

Tanzid reached the landmark with a towering six, a stroke reflecting his willingness to take on deliveries in his scoring zones. His celebration carried a sense of relief as much as joy.

The knock sealed the series and answered critics who had questioned his selection ahead of the more experienced Soumya Sarkar. Sarkar did not feature in the playing XI during the series despite a match-winning 91 against West Indies in October.

The decision to back Tanzid came despite him missing the West Indies series. Captain Mehidy Hasan Miraz insisted the opener deserved a proper run after working on his game.

"Tanzid Tamim is a very talented player. I believe the way he plays cricket, he should be scoring runs on most days. If he scores runs, it will be a great help for the team. Look at the way he has batted; his areas are being worked upon," said Mehidy.

"He didn't play in the last series. But from the BPL onwards, he was a top performer and scored a century in a practice match. He is in great rhythm and very confident."

Mehidy also stressed the importance of giving players a longer rope.

"What we are trying is to ensure whoever gets the opportunity, especially batsmen, gets more opportunities so they realize if they play poorly, they might have to leave their spot," he said.

The captain's trust paid off as Tanzid struck a run-a-ball 107, with six fours and seven sixes, before being caught at cover off Abrar Ahmed.

Tanzid said the hundred was special but pointed to a crucial phase when Pakistan's quicks extracted reverse swing.

"The first century is always special, Alhamdulillah," said Tanzid. "I tried to play as long as possible because for the first 20 overs the ball was coming onto the bat normally. After 20 overs, as the ball got older, it wasn't coming as easily."

"At that time the ball was reversing a bit. I was discussing it with [Najmul Hossain] Shanto bhai. He told me those two or three overs were very important and it would become easier after that. I tried to survive that phase and play carefully."

Tanzid, who had earlier struck an unbeaten 67 off 42 balls in the first ODI, said he was clear about the shot that brought up his hundred.

"I was clear-minded. Without a clear mind, no one plays such a risky shot at such a time. I felt it would be good, and I went with my decision," he said.

Pakistan head coach Mike Hesson admitted Tanzid punished anything loose.

"He fed off anything that we missed. When we bowled too straight, he picked it off nicely. When we bowled a little wide, he hit it through the offside," said Hesson.

"He was quite relentless. If you missed your line, he was going to take advantage."

The innings, built around patience in the middle overs and aggression when opportunities arose, marked an important step in Tanzid's early international career.