Some of that expectation had been curbed by the performances in the recent Asia Cup. Following the multi-nation event, coach Chandika Hathurusingha had said in an interview that those who are dreaming of winning the World Cup should wake up from their sleep.

Bangladesh's in-form top-order batter Najmul Hossain Shanto said that the players still have the same dream as before regarding the World Cup, contradicting the views of head coach Chandika Hathurusingha.

The reality exposed in the ongoing Asia Cup for Bangladesh has certainly compelled Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) and the team management to only hope that their best players will be available for the upcoming World Cup in October.

There is no way to justify crucifying the 24-year-old batter solely for his 20-run innings against Pakistan in Wednesday's Asia Cup Super Four match in Lahore. Instead, the manner in which he keeps throwing his wicket away after showing a glimpse of promise deserves serious consideration ahead of the World Cup.

A hamstring injury suffered against Afghanistan on Sunday forced Shanto’s exit from the continental tournament.

Najmul Hossain Shanto has been ruled out from the Asia Cup after the left handed batter suffered a hamstring injury, confirmed Bangladesh Cricket Board through a press release on Tuesday.

With Bangladesh getting twin centuries, from Najmul Hossain Shanto and Mehedi Hasan Miraz, only for the fifth time in ODIs, the crucial role that the Tigers' bowling unit played to beat Afghanistan by 89 runs went under the radar in Lahore on Sunday.

Centurions of the game against Afghanistan Najmul Hossain Shanto and Mehedi Hasan Miraz entered their names on the Gaddafi Stadium honours board on Sunday.

Najmul Hossain Shanto and Mehedi Hasan Miraz laid the platform for a huge score before the bowlers turned up with a spirited display to allow Bangladesh place one foot in the Asia Cup's Super Four stage as the Tigers won by 89 runs against Afghanistan on a batting-friendly wicket at Lahore's Gaddafi Stadium yesterday.

Bangladesh confirmed the Super Four stage of the Asia Cup by bouncing back with a comprehensive 89-run win over Afghanistan in their final group-stage game in Lahore yesterday.

Just prior to the Asia Cup, on August 25, coinciding with his birthday, Shanto became a father for the first time.

A thumping victory over Afghanistan in the one-off Test in Mirpur saw Bangladesh batters Najmul Hossain Shanto and Mominul Haque gain significantly in the ICC Test batters rankings.

Bangladesh's stand-in skipper, Liton Das, informed that he could not have asked for more after the way his sealed a record 546-run win over Afghanistan in the fourth day of the lone Test in Mirpur on Saturday.

Najmul Hossain Shanto struck his second ton inside three days, picking up his fourth Test ton and in the process becoming just the second Bangladeshi score centuries in both innings of a Test match. Shanto achieved the feat with Mominul Haque batting at the other end, the batter who was first to record the feat for the Tigers. Their lean patches may have certain similarities, but for Shanto it was all about delivering after a show of faith and letting his bat do the talking for him.

Mominul and Shanto have some similarities when it comes to dealing with criticism and overcoming tough periods in their career.

Mominul Haque, the batter who joined Shanto in the middle after Zakir’s dismissal, had the feat of scoring two centuries in the same Test. Mominul had scored 175 and 106 in the same Test against Sri Lanka in Chattogram back in 2018.

Najmul Hossain Shanto got dismissed for 124 runs as Bangladesh took their lead past 500 runs in the second innings of the one-off Test against Afghanistan in Mirpur on Friday.

“No, I am happy with whatever I have done,” a nonchalant Najmul Hossain Shanto said at yesterday’s press conference when asked if he was feeling the pangs of missing out on what could very well have been an even bigger innings.

Bangladesh batter Najmul Hossain Shanto managed to transcend his white-ball form into Test cricket as the left-handed batter smashed a 175-ball 146 against Afghanistan on the first day of the only Test at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium on Wednesday.  

The rise of Najmul Hossain Shanto continued in the past month, with the 24-year-old enjoying another prolific series in the ODI format this time against Ireland which earned him a nomination for ICC's Player of the Month for May alongside Pakistan's Babar Azam and Ireland's Harry Tector, the ICC revealed Tuesday.