SPORTS REPORTER

Bangladesh’s Mehedi Hasan Miraz said yesterday he would have been much more delighted if he could have made it to the top of the ICC all-rounders’ rankings in Tests.

Miraz, who scored 104 and claimed a five-wicket haul in Bangladesh’s comprehensive win over Zimbabwe in the Chattogram Test last month, reached a career-best 327 rating points to overtake South African all-rounder Marco Jansen recently. India’s Ravindra Jadeja is leading the Test all-rounders chart with 400 points.

“Obviously, it feels good, but truth be told, it would be better if I could notch the number one position,” said Miraz, who was presented with a crest Bangladesh Cricket Supporters’ Association yesterday, marking his landmark of 200 wickets and 2000 Test runs that he reached during the Zimbabwe series.

“The target obviously is to go higher, but at the end of the day, I have to remain fit to perform, and I am not thinking too big at the moment and taking small steps,” he added.

Miraz has 205 Test wickets to his name, with Shakib Al Hasan and Taijul Islam being the only Bangladesh players to have bagged more Test wickets. Shakib is the only Bangladesh player to have attained the No.1 spot in ICC all-rounders’ rankings.