Litton Das, the Bangladesh short-format captain and wicketkeeper-batter, has emphatically put a period of patchy form behind him with back-to-back half-centuries in the Abu Dhabi Test match against Afghanistan. Overcoming early chances, the stylish right-hander grounded out two vital innings and earned himself a place in an exclusive tier of Bangladesh cricket history.
Resuming his second-innings effort on five runs on the fourth day, Litton comfortably pushed through the single required in the 76th over off the bowling of Zia-ur-Rehman to cross 9,000 international runs. In doing so, he became only the fifth batsman from Bangladesh to cross this career threshold, joining an elite company that comprises Mushfiqur Rahim, Tamim Iqbal, Shakib Al Hasan, and Mahmudullah.
His journey to the mark in Abu Dhabi was far from smooth, as good fortune played its part during his knock. Litton was handed two early reprieves on 14 and 26 runs, both off the leg-spin of Qais Ahmad. First, Kamal grassed an opportunity at slip; shortly afterwards, Qais failed to hold on to a return catch off his own bowling, visibly wincing in pain after the drop. Capitalising fully on these missteps, Litton accelerated smoothly to reach his second consecutive half-century of the match in just 61 deliveries, seizing every boundary opportunity on offer.
The achievement reflects a well-rounded contribution across all three formats. In Test matches, Litton has compiled 3,409 runs at the highest level, anchored by six centuries and 22 half-centuries. His One Day International portfolio boasts 2,869 runs, featuring five centuries and 14 fifties. In Twenty20 Internationals, where he holds the record for the most appearances for Bangladesh with 124 matches, he has amassed 2,704 runs with 16 half-centuries to his credit.
For Bangladesh, seeing their captain reclaim his composure and aggressive timing under challenging conditions offers a huge boost. Litton’s resilience in Abu Dhabi underscores both his technical fluency and his central role in the national team’s long-term batting strategy across formats.
