Najmul Hussain Shunt performs tons of both innings vs. SL, twice becomes 1 Bangladeshi to achieve tricks

It is quite rare to see the Bangladeshis do well in Tests, and the first match against Sri Lanka was one of those occasions. Even as the match headed towards a drab draw, host skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto achieved quite a unique feat for himself, as well as his nation. On Saturday, he became the first Bangladeshi to score two tons in a Test, twice.

He started this match by plundering 148 runs in the first innings, and then followed it up by another century in the next innings. That now means, he has seven tons in 36 Tests, at an average of over 32, that doesn’t quite justify his true potential. Nonetheless, his first such feat came in 2023, against Afghanistan, where he struck 146 and 124 in both the innings.

The first Bangladeshi player to slam two tons in a Test was Mominul Haque, when he smashed 176 and 105 against Sri Lanka as well. Meanwhile, this achievement puts Shanto in elite company. Sunil Gavaskar from India did it twice.

As far as the match is concerned, on day four, the Bangladeshi side dismissed the Sri Lankans for 485, 10 runs short of their first innings score of 495. Then, the home side did not show any urgency in scoring the runs, as it became clear by the second session, that the only possible outcome of the match, would be a draw.