WATCH - Champions Trophy 2025: Towhid Hridoy fights cramps to reach maiden ODI ton in India clash

India and Bangladesh faced off each other in the second game of the Champions Trophy 2025 at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on February 20. Bangladesh won the toss and opted to bat first. But at first the decision proved to be a disastrous one as half of the team was back in the pavillion within 10 overs and just 39 runs on the board. 

But it was the pair of Jaker Ali and Towhid Hridoy which brought back Bangladesh into the game with a crucial stand of 154 runs for the sixth wicket. Though Jaker trudged back after scoring 68 off 114, Hridoy made use of the scarce assistance for the batters in the deck early in the game. He notched up his maiden Champions Trophy ton but it was not all smooth for the right-handed batter. 

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A short while after entering the 80s, he sustained cramps and running between the wickets became troublesome. The chances of converting ones into twos were slipping away and he had to fight the pain to get to a deserving century. He reached the three-figure mark in the 49th over to bring up his maiden century in ODI cricket. 

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10:10 PM · Feb 20, 2025

The wicket got easier to bat: Axar Patel 

Speaking of India’s bowling, the pitch aiding the batters was evident in the first half as all Indian bowlers failed to grab a wicket for almost 34.1 overs since the fifth wicket in the eighth over of the innings. However, Axar Patel, who picked two wickets gave away how the pitch was changing its behaviour since afternoon. 

“The wicket got easier to bat and I think it's an easy total to chase. It's a slow wicket and as the ball gets older, it gets easier to bat,” said Axar after first innings.