Cardiff Memories: Bangladesh’s Tale of Two Glorious Wins and Four Historic Centuries

In the ever-evolving journey of Bangladesh cricket, some venues have risen beyond the boundary ropes to become symbols of triumph and transformation. Sophia Gardens in Cardiff is one such place—a ground that has quietly become one of Bangladesh’s most cherished hunting grounds in international cricket.

In just three One Day Internationals (ODIs) at this venue, Bangladesh has recorded two landmark victories and four magnificent centuries, each moment etching itself into the annals of national pride.

🏏 2005: Ashraful’s Masterclass Downs the Mighty Aussies

June 18, 2005 — the day Bangladesh cricket shocked the world. Facing Australia, then the reigning superpower in cricket, Bangladesh won the toss and chose to bowl. The early wickets of Gilchrist and Ponting—claimed by Mashrafe Mortaza and Tapash Baisya respectively—set the tone.

Though Australia reached 249, thanks to fifties from Michael Clarke and Damien Martyn, Bangladesh’s bowlers—especially Rafique (10-0-31-0) and Mashrafe (10-2-33-1)—kept the scoring in check.

What followed was sheer magic. A young Mohammad Ashraful dazzled with a brilliant century—100 off 101 balls—anchoring a 132-run partnership with Habibul Bashar. A cameo from Aftab Ahmed sealed the win with four balls to spare.

The moment was immortalized by Ian Chappell’s famous words:

“Aftab Ahmed, 19 years of age! And he (Ponting) can only look on. Bangladesh is home.”

🏆 2017: The Shakib-Riyad Miracle Leads to Semis

Twelve years later, Cardiff once again witnessed Bangladesh scripting history—this time in the ICC Champions Trophy 2017 against New Zealand.

After restricting the Kiwis to 265, thanks to a stunning 3-wicket burst from off-spinner Mosaddek Hossain, Bangladesh found themselves in dire straits at 33 for 4.

Then came a record-breaking stand—Shakib Al Hasan (114) and Mahmudullah Riyad (102)* stitched together a magnificent 224-run partnership, guiding Bangladesh to a famous victory and securing a first-ever Champions Trophy semifinal berth.

💔 2019: Shakib’s Lone Battle in a Team Collapse

In 2019, during the ICC Cricket World Cup, Bangladesh faced hosts England in their third Cardiff outing. England posted a mammoth 386, powered by Jason Roy’s 153.

Despite the mountain to climb, Shakib Al Hasan once again stood tall with a lone warrior’s century—121 off 119 balls. His efforts, though valiant, couldn’t prevent defeat as Bangladesh managed 280.

The match served as a reminder: individual brilliance must be backed by team effort to yield victory.

📊 Bangladesh at Sophia Gardens – ODI Record

Year

Opponent

Result

Centurions

2005

Australia 🇦🇺

Win

Mohammad Ashraful

2017

New Zealand 🇳🇿

Win

Shakib Al Hasan, Mahmudullah Riyad

2019

England 🇬🇧

Loss

Shakib Al Hasan

🗣️ Reflection: A Ground of Glory and Grit

For Bangladesh, Sophia Gardens is not just a cricket ground—it is a canvas of courage, revival, and resilience. The venue has witnessed some of the finest individual performances and most emotional team victories in the country’s cricket history.

As Bangladesh looks to the future, Cardiff remains a symbol of what is possible when passion meets performance.