Stats: Zakir Hasan rewrites history books with debut ton against India

With Tamim Iqbal out with injury, Zakir Hasan was handed a debut in the ongoing Chattogram Test against India. The 24-year-old made his debut in international cricket in a T20I back in 2018 against Sri Lanka but was discarded immediately for unknown reasons. But he has a pretty accomplished first-class CV with an average of more than 40 and on debut against a capable seam and a varied spin attack, Zakir proved his mettle as a red-ball player.

Although not being a natural opener, Zakir grabbed the opportunity to open with both hands. Leaving behind the opening woes, he added 124 for the first wicket with Najmul Hossain Shanto chasing a mammoth 513. This was only the second hundred-plus opening partnership in the fourth innings for Bangladesh in Tests.

Despite losing his partner, Zakir didn't lose his focus and showed good form especially against the Indian spinners. He watched the ball well and played the ball according to its merit. 

The southpaw showed no signs of nervousness when he was close to the milestone and struck Kuldeep Yadav for a six down the ground to go from 87 to 93. He brought up his hundred with a boundary off Axar Patel with a sweep. Zakir became only the fourth Bangladeshi after Aminul Islam, Mohammad Ashraful and Abul Hasan to score a Test hundred on debut. 

Zakir's faced 224 balls for his patient 100. Only two openers in Tests have faced more balls in the fourth innings on debut. He is only the second opener in this format with a fourth-innings hundred on debut. The first batter to achieve the feat was the West Indies' Len Baichan against Pakistan in 1975. 

Zakir is only the ninth batter to score a hundred in the fourth innings on debut. Kyle Mayers' epic double century was the last debut fourth-innings hundred on Asian soil before Zakir's one. The last man from any Asian team to do so before the southpaw was Yasir Hameed of Pakistan (against Bangladesh in Karachi in 2003). 

Zakir scored 20 off 45 in the first innings which meant he faced 269 balls in the match in total. This is the fourth-highest aggregate by a Bangladeshi batter on debut (in terms of balls faced) and Zakir is only the sixth man from Bangladesh to play 250-plus balls on debut.