India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin praises Bangladesh’s Tamim Iqbal who kept his promise and struck the first century of this year’s World Twenty20 tournament to help secure a place in the main draw with a 54-run victory over Oman in their rain-hit match on Sunday.

‘What a knock that from Tamim!!Take a bow.#WT20’, Ashwin tweeted.

Prior to the match, however, in a casual yet sporting tweet, the India spinner wrote: ‘Can’t wait to see the Bangladesh v Oman game. If Bangladesh win, the whole country will be happy but if Oman does Cricket will be happy. #WT20’.

Tigers’ fans, however, ‘didn’t take Ashwin’s tweet lightly. Rather most of them believed it was an attempt by the Indian to underestimate the resurgence of the Tigers. Finding Ashwin’s words offensive, many started mocking him, while Ashwin, as usual, gave tongue-in-cheek reply to the Bangladesh fans’, reports bdcricteam.com.

The Bangladesh opener, who had told the team coach he would hit a ton, became the first Bangladesh player to score a hundred in a Twenty20 International as his side proved they are too good to jostle with associate nations to qualify for the Super 10 stage.

Put into bat, Bangladesh posted an imposing 180-2, which proved too much for Oman’s limited batting resources as the associate nation, chasing a revised 120-run victory target in 12 overs, managed 65-9 to lose via the Duckworth-Lewis method.

The victory sees Bangladesh join India, Australia, New Zealand and Pakistan in Group Two of the Super 10 stage.

Bangladesh got off to a slow start, especially with Soumya Sarkar (12) struggling to middle the ball throughout his 22-ball stay in the middle.

Tamim’s wide range of strokes, which he underlined with 10 fours and five sixes, meant the southpaw (103 not out), who turns 27 later this month, could not be tamed.

Tamim’s aggression saw him race to fifty off 35 balls and he and Sabbir Rahman (44) plundered 97 runs in nine overs to lay the foundation for a big total.

Tamim took 60 balls to reach his century, bringing up the milestone with a boundary off Bilal Khan before leaping in joy and gesturing to coach Chandika Hathurusingha.

‘We were having this camp back home when Chandi asked for a hundred,’ Tamim said at the innings break. ‘I put my hands up and said, ‘I will give you a hundred in this World Cup’. It feels good that I kept my promise.’

Oman stuttered early in their chase, which saw two rain interruptions before Bangladesh completed a clinical victory.