Tamim scales twin peaks

Tamim Iqbal finally wins the two-way player-of-the-match battle against Shakib Al Hasan. Photo: Star

It was a day where Tamim Iqbal added a couple of feathers to his cap as the dashing left-hander became the first Bangladesh batsman to reach 6,000 ODI runs by scoring his third consecutive fifty in the ongoing tri-series against Zimbabwe yesterday.

Coming into the game, the 28-year-old required 66 runs to complete the feat and in the process of reaching the milestone broke yet another record -- scoring the most number of runs at a single venue.

Tamim, just 42 shy of surpassing the previous record held by Sri Lankan legend Sanath Jayasuriya on 2514 runs at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo, tapped Sikandar Raza towards long-on in the fourth ball of the 24th over to reach the landmark. Then the left-hander, who probably had the 6k mark in mind ahead of the game, carefully tucked leg-spinner Graeme Cremer towards long-on off the first ball of the 35th over to complete that feat as well.

Tamim scored the first 3,000 runs in 102 innings and, through his outstanding performances in recent years, took just 73 more to strike the remainder.

"Obviously it feels good. I knew before the match how much I needed to score to get the two records. It is fulfilling to know that you have scored the most in a particular ground or getting to 6,000. I said in the last press conference that i will celebrate this achievement. I think you need to celebrate every achievement. It is most special to be the top scorer at one venue, and that it is a Bangladeshi at the top makes it more special to me," Tamim told reporters after the game yesterday.

However, the southpaw once again missed out on the opportunity to register his 10th ODI century as he was eventually dismissed on 76 runs off 105 balls, featuring six fours, when he was stumped by Cremer while giving the charge on a track that proved difficult to bat on.