Mostary: I am so happy about my century

For years, talk of Sobhana Mostary’s potential has been woven into the fabric of Bangladesh women’s cricket. On Sunday, in her 107th international match, that long-awaited potential was brilliantly realized on one of cricket’s toughest stages. Competing against world champion Australia in Brisbane, Mostary played a monumental knock of 118 off 134 balls. Her effort marked the highest individual score by a Bangladesh batter in women’s ODIs, the first-ever ODI century by a Bangladeshi woman against Australia, and only the fourth ODI century scored by an Asian batter on Australian soil. Although Bangladesh ultimately lost the match, Mostary’s historic masterpiece stands as the touring party's greatest triumph. Rescuing the Innings Under Pressure Mostary walked out to the crease in a perilous position. Bangladesh were reeling at 8 for 3 in the eighth over against a ruthless Australian attack. Rather than letting the pressure overwhelm her, Mostary trusted her process and stuck to her strengths. She immediately set to work, settling her nerves with a crisp push through the covers off Megan Schutt. Soon after, she took on legspinner Georgia Wareham, striking three beautifully placed boundaries through point in a single over. Her off-side play remained exceptional throughout the innings, capped off by a gorgeous cover drive off Alana King to reach a 66-ball half-century. Mostary’s fluid scoring tempo relieved the pressure at the other end, allowing her skipper, Nigar Sultana "Joti," to settle in. In the 45th over, Mostary crossed the three-figure mark, triggering exuberant screams of joy from both batters in the middle. A Record-Breaking Partnership Central to Mostary's historic knock was her 195-run stand for the fourth wicket alongside Nigar Sultana, who scored a patient 74. It now stands as Bangladesh’s highest partnership for any wicket in women's ODIs. Speaking about the middle-overs strategy, Mostary credited her captain and coach David Hemp for keeping her grounded and focused on deep batting: "Captain Joti told me to just stay out there, at least till the 40th over. Afterwards, we can maybe play our shots. We looked out for the bad ball, which we punished. We had to respect the good ball. Joti kept telling me that I am capable of scoring a century. She provided me with great support." She added that during the second drinks break, coach David Hemp reiterated the plan to bat through the 42nd over before launching an all-out attack, a process both batters executed to perfection. Reflecting on a Career-Defining Breakthrough Reflecting on her journey after the match, Mostary expressed sheer delight at her breakthrough performance: "I am so happy about my century. I batted against a world champion team. It is the first time one of us scored a hundred in Australia. I thought about my batting style after the way I got out in the first ODI. I just realised how I can bat deep. I thought about my process, went out there, and played to my strength." While the team result didn't go Bangladesh's way, Mostary's disciplined approach, resilience under fire, and landmark century mark a definitive turning point in her international career—one that promises to accelerate her growth at the highest level for years to come.