Naeem Islam becomes the second cricketer for Bangladesh to reach 10,000 first-class runs.

Naeem Islam, a seasoned cricketer from Bangladesh, made history by being the first player to collect 10,000 first-class runs during the 25th National Cricket League (NCL). In honor of this achievement, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) gave Naeem a coveted crest. His participation for Dhaka Metro in the second-round match in Mirpur against the defending champion Rangpur Division was heralded by this accolade.

The all-rounder from Bangladesh amassed a respectable 10,039 runs in his first-class career, including 31 centuries at an average of 42.35. He has 416 runs in eight Test matches for Bangladesh, including a notable 108 against the West Indies in 2012. In honor of this exceptional accomplishment, match referee Md Ehsanul Hoque and selector Habibul Bashar presented him with a renowned crest.

“Well, he has been playing for a very long time, and scoring 10,000 runs is quite difficult. He has been batting exceptionally well over the past three to four years. Not just about scoring runs, but also about inspiring our future players, who are currently playing longer-version first-class cricket, to learn how to play longer-version cricket, according to Bashar, who was reported by The Daily Star.

Exceptional case where a top-tier career outperforms a global one

The recent achievement of Naeem Islam is comparable to Tushar Imran, who holds the record for the most first-class runs in Bangladesh with an amazing 11,972 runs. On October 14, when Dhaka Metro was playing Sylhet Division, the 36-year-old reached this milestone by pitching an unbeaten 44-run second inning.

Naeem Islam, a capable top-order batsman, played a significant role in Bangladesh’s successful 2003–2004 U19 World Cup Plate Championship campaign.

His best performance came in the Plate final against the defending winners, Australia, when he scored the highest individual score. Eight of the finalist’s competitors, including Aftab Ahmed and Shahadat Hossain, advanced to the national team, and Islam obtained his call-up to Bangladesh’s ODI squad in October 2008.