Mushfiqur Rahim ended a long personal drought on Tuesday (17th June), reaching his 12th Test century on the opening day of the first Test against Sri Lanka in Galle.
It wasn’t easy. For 13 innings, the 38-year-old Bangladesh veteran hadn’t crossed even fifty. But this time, against his favorite opponent, on a familiar pitch, something finally clicked.
It happened in the afternoon session.
Asitha Fernando’s delivery took a soft inside edge off Shanto’s bat. They went for a single. That was all Mushfiqur needed. One run.
When it came, he didn’t hold back.
He raised his bat. He smiled, wide. Then, he dropped to the ground in a gesture of gratitude, forehead on the turf, offering a sujud prayer. The moment felt earned.
At the other end, captain Najmul Hossain Shanto was already celebrating. He had crossed the century mark earlier, and now his partner had joined him. The two shared a tight hug.
Together, they had built something big.
A 200-plus partnership, a steady recovery from three quick early wickets, and a total that crossed 250 by stumps. Sri Lanka’s bowlers toiled for two full sessions without a breakthrough after the first hour.
By the time the second new ball came, Mushfiqur and Shanto were still out there.
For Mushfiqur, the innings came with extra weight. The questions had been growing louder. Thirteen innings without a fifty. Age creeping in. Whispers of retirement. And yet, at Galle — a ground where he has now scored more than 400 runs in just four innings — he delivered.
He loves playing Sri Lanka.
In fact, Mushfiqur has more Test runs against Sri Lanka than any other team, nearing 1,500. No other opponent has seen him cross even the 1,000 mark. That says something.
He also happens to average more at Galle than many greats, including Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara.
In just three Tests at this venue, he’s racked up over 400 runs. That includes a double hundred, a century, and a fifty — all in just four innings.
This wasn’t just a return to form. It was a statement.
People were starting to ask if he should step away from the Test side. He may have just answered them without saying a word.
Mushfiqur Rahim is still here. And in Galle, once again, he reminded everyone why he’s called Mr. Dependable.
