Najmul Hossain Shanto etched his name into Bangladesh cricket history on the opening day of the first Test against Pakistan in Mirpur, becoming the most prolific century-maker as Bangladesh captain after reaching three figures for the fifth time in just 17 matches as skipper, surpassing the four centuries Mushfiqur Rahim scored across 34 matches in the role.
The century arrived in typically assured fashion. Shanto drove Mohammad Abbas through the covers for four off the penultimate delivery of the over before tea to bring up three figures from 129 balls, an innings that contained 12 boundaries and two sixes. The moment sparked celebration in the stands, but the joy was short-lived. The very next delivery brought a loud lbw appeal from Abbas, and though the umpire initially gave it not out, Shan Masood reviewed the decision. The technology confirmed the ball was hitting the stumps, and Shanto departed for exactly 100, his 170-run partnership with Mominul Haque broken in the cruellest of fashions.
Shanto’s journey to this landmark has been one of consistent excellence in the most demanding format. He scored his first century as captain against New Zealand in December 2023, beginning a sequence that has seen him score at the top of the order with a regularity that no Bangladesh captain before him has managed.
Twin centuries followed against Sri Lanka in Galle in June 2024, a back-to-back display of concentration and skill that announced him as one of Asia’s most dependable Test batters. Later that same year in November, he added another hundred against Ireland to take his tally to four. Today in Mirpur, against one of the strongest pace attacks in the world, he surpassed Mushfiqur’s long-standing record in his 17th match as captain, a remarkable achievement given that his predecessor required twice as many matches to reach four.
Mushfiqur Rahim remains one of Bangladesh’s greatest ever batters and one of the most decorated captains in the country’s history. That Shanto has surpassed his record in half the number of matches speaks to the consistency and maturity the 25-year-old has shown in the role since taking over the captaincy.
It was also, in the context of the match, an innings of considerable importance. Bangladesh had been reduced to 31 for 2 early in the day after losing both openers cheaply, and Shanto’s century alongside Mominul’s composed contribution gave the hosts the platform they needed to post a competitive total against Pakistan.
