Shanto sizzles to ‘put pressure on selectors’

Rajshahi Warriors captain Najmul Hossain Shanto celebrated with a pumped fist and the customary air kiss off the bat after marking a match-winning century in Sylhet yesterday. More than a milestone, it was a determined effort to seize an opportunity in the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) he had called crucial for his national ambitions ahead of the T20 World Cup.

Shanto showed composure before accelerating with sharp shot selection to guide his team to an emphatic eight-wicket win over Sylhet Titans. The wicket at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium offered value for runs as Sylhet posted 190 for five after being asked to bat, but the chase seemed to slip when Rajshahi reached 43 for one in the Powerplay.

However, Shanto, scoring at a run-a-ball, shifted gears with a six off Mehidy Hasan Miraz. A dropped caught-and-bowled chance off the next ball allowed him to find his rhythm with a drive through mid-on, and the boundaries followed as he capitalised on the evening dew.

"When we finished the first innings, we knew the dew would come and the wicket would be better," Shanto said at the post-match presentation.

With a T20I strike-rate of 109.06, Shanto had previously lost both the captaincy and his place in the Tigers' T20I side. This innings, however, showcased a more assured hitting arc, blending composure with sustained acceleration. After reaching 30 off 25 balls, he brought up his fifty in 36 deliveries and completed his ton in 58, striking 10 fours and five sixes -- including a 101-metre maximum.

Bangladesh batting coach Mohammad Ashraful believes Shanto is overcoming his T20 difficulties.

"He had two tons already in this format [in T20s]. The last two years didn't go well, especially last year when he didn't get many games," Ashraful told The Daily Star.

"Strike-rate was being talked about and he struggled, but he is the kind of player who, when he scores, scores big. In this format, when a player has such ability, there's not much argument against him," Ashraful noted, adding that his approach could force the selectors into renewed discussion ahead of the T20 World Cup in February next year.

"Seeing him bat, it feels like he will remain in the conversation if he continues this way. He has started this BPL outstandingly and, if it continues, there will definitely be pressure on selectors."

A strike-rate of 168.3 from the opener boosted Shanto's confidence. He lifted the tempo precisely when scoreboard pressure threatened to engulf his side during the unbeaten 101 off 60 balls -- his third T20 hundred. Earlier, Shanto had told this newspaper that he was more focused on impact than volume of runs -- an impact he certainly delivered, along with momentum for Rajshahi in their campaign opener.