Younger Tamim hits all the right notes in Chattogram

A Tamim scoring runs in Chattogram is nothing new.

This time though, it wasn't the man whose name ended with Iqbal, but rather Chattogram Challengers' Tanzid Hasan Tamim. 

The left-handed opener smashed the third century of the 10th edition of the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) and it was the second one scored by a Bangladeshi batter. 

The innings of 116 runs from 65 balls took Tanzid to the top of the list for most runs in the BPL this season with 382 runs. 

It helped Chattogram post a total of 192-4 in their 20 overs which Khulna Tigers failed to chase down and managed just 127 in reply.

As a result, the win took Chattogram to the third spot with 14 points and helped them qualify for the playoffs.

The result also ensured Comilla Victorians, who are also on 14 points at the time of writing - before their match against table toppers Rangpur Riders who are on 16 points - qualify for the playoffs too.

To play such an innings in a crunch game for his team has pleased Tanzid and he dedicated the ton to his nephew.

The Chattogram team management also made a nice gesture and Tanzim said in the post-match presser that the win was dedicated to the martyrs of the language movement in 1952 ahead of 21 February, which is now recognised as International Mother Language Day. 

Tanzid's batting was at its fluent best at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium on Tuesday as he scored runs all over the ground.

The 23-year-old had eight fours and as many sixes in his innings and played on the offside better than he usually does. 

One of his strengths is on the leg side and he plundered all of his eight sixes there but the number of dot balls he concedes in a game has been an area of weakness. 

But he admitted that he's still working to improve in those areas and become a more well-rounded player. 

"I'm always trying to work on the areas of my game that I feel need improving. I try not to repeat the same mistakes again," Tanzid told The Business Standard.

There was a time during the post-match press conference when a question came up regarding the younger (Tanzid Hasan) Tamim and (Tanzim Hasan) Sakib doing well while the senior Tamim and Shakib have been at loggerheads. 

He avoided that question and later told the reporter who asked the question to not mind. 
When asked about the matter after the post-match presser he explained: "I just want to focus on my game and be my own player. I don't want there to be any comparisons. Those are two of the greatest players in our country and we have to respect that." 

Tanzid's 116-run innings is now also the highest score by any batter in the BPL this season and he spoke about batting with a different approach of scoring big and batting long. 

He didn't start the tournament off well but a changed batting approach along with the Chattogram pitch, which he called a "batters' paradise" helped change his fortunes and his scores in Chattogram read: 41,13, 70, and now 116.

Unfortunately for Tanzid, The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) announced the teams for the next series against Sri Lanka which begins in early March and he wasn't included.

He though, didn't want to dwell on the negatives and wanted to focus on the now and the future.

For now and the future includes "finishing the BPL on a high and performing to my best ability".