10 records broken by Kyle Mayers during West Indies' historic run-chase
West Indies completed a miraculous victory against Bangladesh at Chattogram on Sunday riding on debutant Kyle Mayers' double-century. They chased down 395 runs successfully in the Test's final innings.
Several factors make this run-chase special. Skipper Jason Holder was among several first-choice players that had pulled out of this tour of Bangladesh. Additionally, the hosts have been quite formidable in home conditions recently.
Bangladesh dominated the match for the first four days, setting their opponents a 395-run target. West Indies were expected to capitulate on a fifth-day turner, but Kyle Mayers had other plans.
His knock helped West Indies to complete the highest successful run-chase in Asia and the fifth-highest run-chase ever. Mayers also broke many individual records during his knock of 210*.
Here is a look at the milestones that he surpassed at Chattogram on Sunday.
Ten records broken by Kyle Mayers during his historic double-ton
1: This was the first instance of a player on debut scoring a double century in the fourth innings of a Test match. Before this, the highest fourth-innings score by a player on debut belonged to India’s Abbas Ali Baig. He scored 112 against England at Manchester in July 1959.
1: This innings was the first-ever instance of a left-handed batsman scoring a double-century in the fourth innings of a Test match. The previous highest fourth-innings score by a southpaw belonged to Kumar Sangakkara, who scored 192 against Australia at Hobart in 2007.
1: Kyle Mayers' double-ton is the highest individual score in the fourth innings by a batsman in Asia. He surpassed Pakistan’s Younis Khan, who scored 171* against Sri Lanka in 2015.
2: Kyle Mayers became just the second player in history to score a double-century in a successful run-chase. The first player to do so was also a West Indian. Gordon Greenidge scored 214* when West Indies chased down 344, beating England by 9 wickets at the Lord’s in 1984.
2: This was just the second instance of a player batting below number four scoring a double century in the fourth innings of a Test. Nathan Astle is the only other player to have achieved this feat. He scored 222 against England at Christchurch in 2002, albeit in a losing cause.
2: Kyle Mayers combined with Nkrumah Bonner to put on 216 for the fourth wicket. This was only the second time that two debutants have put on a partnership of over 200 runs. The highest partnership ever by two players on debut belongs to the Pakistan pair of Khalid Ibadulla and Abdul Kadir, who put on 249 runs against Australia at Karachi in 1964.
3: The southpaw contributed 53% of the team’s runs in the fourth innings. This was the third-highest percentage contribution by an individual batsman in a run-chase of 300 runs or more. Only Gordon Greenidge and England’s Mark Butcher have contributed more.
6: Kyle Mayers became the sixth player ever to score a double century on debut. The last player to achieve this feat was South Africa’s Jacques Rudolph, who scored a double ton against the same opposition at the same venue in 2003. The first player ever to score a double ton on debut was Reginald Foster of England. He hit 287 against Australia at Sydney in 1903.
6: Kyle Mayers' 210* is the sixth-highest individual score in the fourth innings of a Test match. The highest score belongs to George Headley of the West Indies who scored 223 against England at Kingston in 1930.
7: The Barbadian hit seven sixes during his final day knock at Chattogram. The only player to hit more sixes in an innings on his debut is Tim Southee of New Zealand. The Kiwi sent the ball sailing over the boundary nine times during his 77* against England in 2008.