Najmul Hossain Shanto, the top-order batsman for Bangladesh, reached a remarkable milestone on the opening day of the Tigers’ one-off Test against Afghanistan at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur. Shanto achieved his third Test century in style, taking just 118 deliveries to reach the landmark. In the 38th over of the game, he played a delivery from Amir Hamza with a gentle touch, securing a quick single to complete his hundred. Shanto’s innings was aggressive, as evidenced by his impressive tally of 18 fours. He remained unbeaten on 100 runs as Bangladesh reached 185 for the loss of one wicket after 38 overs.

Shanto’s partnership with opener Mahmudul Hasan Joy was also outstanding, with the duo putting together an unbeaten 175-run stand for the second wicket. Joy, too, achieved a notable feat by scoring his third Test fifty and remained unbeaten on 61 off 131 deliveries.

Despite entering the crease after opener Zakir Hasan’s early dismissal in the second over, Shanto displayed a positive approach right from the beginning. He exhibited excellent footwork against the Afghan spinners, not allowing them to settle into a rhythm. Both Shanto and Joy played impressively against Afghanistan’s left-arm wrist spinner Zahir Khan, who conceded runs at a rate of over seven per over. Shanto, in particular, dominated Zahir, striking four boundaries off the leg-spinner’s five overs.

Shanto’s batting was highlighted by his elegant straight drives, including a delightful shot in the second session where he elegantly drove debutant Karim Janat down the ground, pushing his score into the nineties. Additionally, Shanto capitalized on any short deliveries, promptly pulling them for boundaries in the square areas of the field.