Tamim scales 8000-run peak to join elite list

GBNEWS24DESK//

Bangladesh ODI skipper Tamim Iqbal became the first batter from the country to reach 8000 runs in ODIs during the first ODI against Zimbabwe at Harare today.

Tamim began the day on 7943 runs and notched a century stand with Liton Das — their fourth hundred stand in ODIs — as Tigers started well after being sent to bat. Tamim notched his 54th ODI fifty in 80 deliveries and then reached the 8000-run mark in the 24th over by guiding a Sikandar Raza delivery through third-man for four.

He however departed in the 26th over after an 88-ball 62, laced with nine fours. Tamim also became the 33rd batter in ODI cricket to notch the 8000-run mark. He took 239 matches to reach the mark, at career average of 37.20, having scored 14 ODI hundreds. He is well above second-placed Shakib Al Hasan in Bangladesh’s top run-getters’ list. Shakib has 6755 runs to his name well Mushfiqur Rahim is third on the list with 6697 runs.

Tamim was also the first batter to reach 4000, 5000, 6000 and 7000 runs in ODI cricket for Bangladesh. He also became the ninth opener in the world to reach the mark to join the elite list of ODI openers with at least 8000 runs. Sachin Tendulkar tops the list of highest run-getters among openers in ODIs. Tamim joins the list headed by Tendulkar, Sanath Jayasuriya, Chris Gayle, Adam Gilchrist, Sourav Ganguly, Desmond Haynes, Saeed Anwar and Hashim Amla.