Joy brings joy

Bangladesh opener Mahmudul Hasan Joy broke one record after another as he stood tall amidst the chaos going on in Bangladesh’s first innings in the Durban Test as he hit his maiden century in Test cricket.

Mahmudul, with only two Tests worth of experience in his bag, came to South Africa. He surely had good memories of the country as it was where he won the Under-19 World Cup in 2020, but fond memories seldom help you get runs.

Mahmudul had proved his mettle in New Zealand, where only in his second Test, he scored a brilliant 71, setting up Bangladesh’s historic win in Mount Maunganui. But what he did in Durban, surpassed that knock with ease.

Joy scored 137 off 326 deliveries, stayed at the crease for an enduring seven hours and some, became the first Bangladesh batsman to score a century against and in South Africa, became the first Bangladesh batsman to play over 300 balls outside Asia, and made sure that Bangladesh reached at least a position to fight for the match. While all of these are outstanding facts and numbers, none are good enough to explain how good the 21-year-old was at Durban.

His innings not only showed ability and determination but calculation and grit. Mahmudul knew exactly when to get into his shell, and when to attack. Simon Harmer had wreaked havoc the previous afternoon, and in the morning of the third day, Joy took him on to rattle the off-spinner upfront.

He put together one partnership after another, and despite running out of partners, the youngster from Chandpur rarely seemed rattled. He reached his hundred off 269 deliveries and kept going. After Mehidy Hasan Miraz was gone, he brought out the intent and added vital 31 runs in quick time, curtailing the South African lead to only 69.

In which is only his third Test, Mahmudul produced an innings which was by far the best by a Bangladesh batsman outside Asia. He became the only third batsman after Rahul Dravid and Sachin Tendulkar to play 300+ deliveries on Protea soil, and his innings would make the Indian, nicknamed ‘the wall’, proud.

But Bangladesh will hope this is just the start. And so will Mahmudul. As is his nickname, he will surely try and spread more joy with the willow in the coming years.