Former captain Najmul Hossain Shanto has become the 32nd Bangladeshi cricketer to reach the milestone of 50 One Day Internationals (ODIs).
He played his 50th ODI today in the first match of the three-match series against Sri Lanka at Colombo’s Premadasa Stadium.
Shanto made his ODI debut in September 2018 against Afghanistan in Abu Dhabi. Since then, in 49 matches and 48 innings, he has scored 1,565 runs at an average of 34.77, including 3 centuries and 10 half-centuries. The left-handed batter has scored ODI centuries against Ireland, Afghanistan, and Sri Lanka.
In March 2024, Shanto played a sublime unbeaten innings of 122 runs against Sri Lanka in Chattogram. Riding on his career-best knock, Bangladesh won the match by six wickets.
Before Shanto, 31 cricketers from Bangladesh had played 50 or more ODIs. Former captain Mushfiqur Rahim holds the record for most ODIs for Bangladesh, with 274 matches.