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[Saba Sports News] During the 25th National Cricket League (NCL), seasoned Bangladeshi cricketer Naeem Islam achieved a remarkable milestone, accumulating 10,000 runs in first-class cricket. The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) honored his achievement by presenting him with a prestigious crest before his appearance for Dhaka Metro in the second-round match against reigning champions Rangpur Division in Mirpur.
Naeem Islam’s first-class career boasts an impressive record of 10,039 runs, including 31 centuries, at an average of 42.35. He has also represented Bangladesh in eight Test matches, scoring 416 runs, including a memorable 108 against the West Indies in 2012. Selector Habibul Bashar and match referee Md Ehsanul Hoque bestowed him with this honor in recognition of his significant achievement.
Bashar commented on Naeem’s milestone, stating, “Scoring 10,000 runs is very difficult, and he has been playing for a very long time. In the last three to four years, he has been batting very well. His achievements not only mean runs on the board but also serve as an inspiration for our young, aspiring players in the longer-version first-class cricket.”
This accomplishment by Naeem Islam follows the extraordinary feat of Tushar Imran, the record holder for the highest first-class runs in Bangladesh with an impressive tally of 11,972 runs. Tushar achieved this milestone during Dhaka Metro’s second innings against Sylhet Division on October 14, where he crafted an unbeaten 44-run innings.
Naeem Islam, a proficient top-order batsman, made a significant impact during Bangladesh’s victorious 2003-04 U19 World Cup Plate Championship campaign. In the Plate final against reigning champions Australia, he scored the highest individual score. Eight of his fellow finalists, including Aftab Ahmed and Shahadat Hossain, progressed to the national team. In October 2008, Islam received his call-up to the Bangladesh ODI squad.