Najmul Hossain cracks historic ton in 1st Test vs Pakistan, becomes 1st Bangladesh captain player to bag this feat

Najmul Hossain Shanto etched his name into the record books on the opening day of the first Test against Pakistan at the Shere Bangla National Stadium in Dhaka. Leading Bangladesh in the two-match series, Shanto became the first captain from his country to score a Test century against Pakistan. Walking out at number four in the first innings, he anchored the hosts with a fluent 101 off 130 deliveries, a knock punctuated by 12 boundaries and two sixes.

Najmul Hossain shines bright with historic ton in 1st Test vs Bangladesh

This milestone surpassed the previous record held by Mushfiqur Rahim, who scored 53 against Pakistan in Mirpur back in 2011. While Rahim's gritty half-century from the number seven position had stood as the highest score by a Bangladeshi captain against this opponent for over a decade, Shanto’s aggressive hundred has now set a new benchmark for leadership performances in this fixture.

The century marks Shanto’s ninth triple-digit score in the longest format of the game, further solidifying his status as a pillar of the batting lineup. By reaching the milestone on Friday, he also became the eighth Bangladeshi batter overall to record a Test century against Pakistan.

The list of centurions against Pakistan began with former captain and current chief selector Habibul Bashar, who was the first to achieve the feat. While several others have joined that list over the years, wicketkeeper-batter Litton Das remains the only Bangladeshi player to have scored multiple centuries against the Pakistani side in Test cricket.

Highest scores in Tests by Bangladesh captain vs Pakistan:

The record for the highest individual score by a captain in a Test match against Pakistan belongs to former Australian legend Mark Taylor. During the first innings of the Rawalpindi Test in October 1998, Taylor delivered a marathon performance as an opening batter, remaining unbeaten with a historic score of 334. His monumental knock spanned 564 deliveries and remains a benchmark for endurance and skill in the longest format of the game.

To this day, Taylor holds the prestigious distinction of being the only captain to ever score a triple-century against a Pakistani bowling attack in Test cricket. His innings is widely remembered not just for the sheer volume of runs, but also for his decision to declare overnight while level with Sir Donald Bradman’s then-record score of 334, a gesture that remains one of the most famous displays of sportsmanship in cricket history.