Cricket World's Player of the Week - Najmul Hossain Shanto, Bangladesh

Najmul Hossain Shanto once again proved why he's becoming the backbone of Bangladesh’s Test batting, delivering a sublime performance against Sri Lanka that will be remembered despite the match ending without a result.

The Bangladesh captain was the undisputed star of the contest, scoring centuries in both innings—an unbeaten 125 in the second innings to go with his commanding 148 in the first. His composed and technically sound batting not only anchored Bangladesh's innings but also kept Sri Lanka at bay throughout the match.

This marks the second time Shanto has achieved the rare feat of scoring centuries in both innings of a Test match. He previously accomplished it against Afghanistan in 2023, joining an elite group of players worldwide with multiple twin-ton performances.

Sri Lanka were left chasing a steep target of 296 in just 37 overs on the final day. At 72 for 4 and with only 9.5 overs left in the final hour, both captains agreed to call off play, accepting that a result was no longer possible.

But while the match may have ended without a winner, it was Shanto’s class and consistency that truly defined the game—underscoring his stature as one of Bangladesh’s most reliable and prolific batsmen in the modern era.

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