Litton's priceless century amidst crisis
This century is notable as Litton became the first player in Test history to score three centuries while batting at six or seven, and his previous three centuries include one at number five, one at number six, and one at number seven.
Litton Das's century in this Test match marks his fourth in the format, surpassing former captain Habibul Bashar and Imrul Kayes. This innings ends a long wait for the right-handed wicketkeeper-batsman.
When Litton Kumar Das arrived at the crease, Bangladesh was reeling at 26 for 5. He joined the field just after Shakib Al Hasan had been dismissed, leaving the team in dire straits at 26/6.
Litton, along with Mehidy Hasan Miraz, steadied the ship. Despite Miraz's dismissal, Litton managed to secure a crucial century, rescuing his team from a precarious situation.
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After Miraz scored a half-century and was dismissed, Litton continued the fight alone. He reached his century with the support of fast bowler Hasan Mahmud, making 17 runs together.
In the second and final Test of the series against Pakistan at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, Litton's contribution remains vital. His 165-run partnership with Miraz has helped Bangladesh recover from an initial collapse, reducing the deficit with their opponents.
After dismissing Pakistan for 274 runs in their first innings, Bangladesh has managed to score 224 for 8 in 68 overs. Litton is batting on 114 with Hasan on 4, leaving the team 50 runs behind Pakistan.
Litton's form had been under scrutiny, and he had even been dropped from the team. However, his century comes at a crucial time when the team is in a major crisis. This is his first century in over two years, with his last Test century coming in May 2022 against Sri Lanka at Mirpur. Since then, he has scored five half-centuries in 18 innings. As of this report, Litton has accumulated 2,632 runs in 74 innings across 43 Tests, including three centuries and 17 half-centuries.
