The country's premier batsman, who now has 2,287 runs from 33 Tests, stands out among the pack of Tigers with a few more unique records.

While teammates Javed Omar and Mohammad Ashraful are a distant second with six fifties apiece, Bashar has already crossed the 50-landmark seven times against Zimbabwe alone inclusive of one century.

Not only that the 28-year-old, who has three Test hundreds to his credit, also holds the distinction of scoring a pair of half-centuries five times after his 55 in the second innings of the first Test.

The country's second Test venue has also proved lucky for the elegant right-hander because it is here that he scored half centuries in both innings of a Test twice earlier. Also, it is the third time Bashar has done this against Zimbabwe.

Javed Omar and Hannan Sarkar, both opening batsmen, are the other Bangladesh players who have scored two fifties in one Test. Javed made 62 and 85 not out on debut against Zimbabwe in Bulawayo in 2001 while Hannan scored 76 and 55 in the Cairns Test against Australia in 2003.

While Bashar stands head and shoulders above his fellow batsman, left-arm spinner excels in the bowling.

The leading wicket-taker of a the country in both forms of the game took his Test tally to 66 from 17 games after his fifth five-wicket haul in the first innings against Zimbabwe at Chittagong.

Bangladesh's first innings total of 488 was also their highest in 35 Test. Besides, setting Zimbabwe a fourth-innings target of 381 is the highest ever by the Tigers against any opposition. The previous best were against West Indies (336 at St Lucia in 2004) and 261 against Pakistan at Multan in 2003, which the Test babes narrowly lost.

But after that heart-breaking one-wicket loss at Multan, the Tigers are set to eclipse all those marks when the first Test enters a rare fifth day with whole nation sensing a piece of history in the making.

BASHAR'S PAIR OF 50S
64, 76	v Zimbabwe	Harare	2000-01
108, 76	v Zimbabwe	Chittagong	2001-02
60, 75	v South Africa	Chittagong	2003
71, 108	v Pakistan	Karachi	2003
94, 55	v Zimbabwe	Chittagong	2004
RAFIQUE'S 5-WICKET HAULS
6-77	SA	Dhaka	2003
5-118	Pakistan	Peshawar	2003
5-36	Pakistan	Multan	2003
6-122	New Zealand	Dhaka	2004
5-65	Zimbabwe	Chittagong	2004