10 greatest Bangladeshi cricketers of all time

The seeds of cricket were sown in Bangladesh post their independence in 1971 and 51 years fast forward the team has come a long way in international cricket. In the last 15 years, their team management has relied on both young faces and experienced players. The blend of both has yielded positive results for them in the limited-overs format, as the graph shows. In both ODIs and T20Is, they have got better by playing some aggressive cricket. Their performance in ICC events indicates Bangla Tigers’ increased strength with time. In the mega events, the team has played fearless cricket by upsetting top Test playing nations. Here is the list of ten Bangladeshi cricketers who changed the fate of their team: 1. Tamim Iqbal Tamim Iqbal has been serving Bangladesh for the last 15 years. He made his debut in 2007 against Zimbabwe in February and the next month, he delivered his best to the team by smashing a match-winning half-century against India. With his heroics, Bangladesh stunned the world by beating India for the first time in World Cups. In the last 15 years, Tamim has brought joy to Bangladesh fans by playing numerous scintillating innings for the team. Riding on his fierce starts, Bangladesh have won many crucial games. In August 2022, Iqbal bid adieu to the T20 internationals, but the Southpaw will remain active in ODIs and Tests. Playing with him will be beneficial for youngsters as the veteran with his immense cricketing knowledge can help them elevate their game. 2. Abdur Razzak Abdur Razzak played active professional cricket for 14 years, during that time Bangladesh’s graph went up. The left-arm spinner, during this period of time, was one of the key players. After the retirement of Mohammad Rafique, he took the responsibility to lead the spin department. In 2013, Razzak also became the first Bangladeshi bowler to scalp 200 wickets in ODIs. In World Cup victories over India and England in 2007 and 2011 respectively, the spinner played a very crucial role with his wicket-taking and economical bowling. In a historical home series win against New Zealand in 2010, Razzak chipped in with his disciplined bowling. In the bilateral tournament, he bagged seven wickets at a brilliant economy of 4.08. He announced his retirement from all forms of cricket in 2021. 3. Mohammad Rafique Mohammad Rafique kicked off his international career in 1995. At that time, Bangladesh were considered an average team, but in 1999 with the World Cup in England, things changed for Bangladesh as the team for the first time stunned the world by crushing the star-studded Pakistan team. In the match, with his spin bowling, Rafique took one wicket and conceded just 28 runs. His World Cup best came against India in 2007 when he helped Mashrafe Mortaza and Abdur Razzak in winding up the Indian innings for just 191. Using his experience and skills, Rafique removed three key batters in Sourav Ganguly, Rahul Dravid, and Mahendra Singh Dhoni. After the famous World Cup victory, he also hung his boots in 2008 after playing the last Test series at home against South Africa. 4. Habibul Bashar In 2004, Habibul Bashar took charge as the skipper of Bangladesh and changed the image of the team by claiming victories against teams such as India and Australia. After leading the side for three years, Bangladesh under Habibul Bashar delivered their best World Cup performance in 2007 (50 overs) by humiliating India in the group stage and qualifying for the next level. In the Super 8 round, the Bangla tigers again shocked all cricket enthusiasts by handing a 67-run defeat to South Africa. Bashar, in 2007, after playing a home series against India, retired from international cricket, but during his stint, Bangladesh truly evolved as a cricketing nation. 5. Rubel Hossain In the last 15 years, Bangladesh have produced a lot of talent and Rubel Hossain is one of those. The right-arm bowler made his international debut in 2009 and in a few years, he became one of the main bowlers of the team with his match-winning performances. Until 2016, Bangladesh heavily counted on him to provide early breakthroughs to the team alongside the leader of the Bangladesh bowling attack Mahrafe Mortaza. In the 2015 World Cup, Hossain proved his mettle against England. Hossain, playing in his second 50-overs World Cup, helped Bangladesh to emerge victorious by 15 runs in the crucial contest. At the Adeliade Oval, the pacer razed the English batting line-up to the ground. With his spell (9.3-0-53-4), Bangla Tigers took the match home and also booked their berth in the quarter-final against India. 6. Mohammad Ashraful Mohammad Ashraful is considered the first superstar of Bangladesh cricket. After his match-winning ODI ton against Australia in Cardiff in 2005, the batter became a household name in his country. In 2007, he played a couple of memorable innings for the team too. In the Super 8 game versus South Africa in the World Cup 2007, Bangladesh won the game with the help of his powerful innings of 87. In the same year, Ashraful again steered his team to a win against the powerful West Indies in the T20 World Cup 2007. The right-handed batter played an innings of 61 runs that handed Bangladesh victory and the win also ensured a spot for them in the Super 8 round of the inaugural tournament. 7. Mushfiqur Rahim Mushfiqur has been playing for Bangladesh for the last 17 years, and during this time, he has proven himself in the middle order with his fierce batting style. With his reliable batting performances, the wicket-keeper batter has also earned the title of Mr. dependable. Rahim, who is one of the key batters, has played a crucial role in elevating the standard of the Bangladesh cricket team. In many crucial competitions, he has impressed the fans by playing some good innings with his bat. His memorable World Cup innings against India and England in 2007 and 2015 respectively are still fresh in the hearts of Bangladesh fans. The 35-year-old, with his outstanding game, has earned a lot of respect and love from Bangladesh fans. 8. Mustafizur Rahman One of the distinguished figures in the Bangladesh cricket team is Mustafizur Rahman. The bowler stormed into the cricketing world by stunning India with his powerful performance at home. With his astute bowling, he did an ineffable job for Bangladesh and picked up 13 wickets in three ODIs against India during India's tour of Bangladesh in 2015. With his arrival, Bangladesh achieved one of their greatest moments ever as they defeated India in a ODI series for the first time. Since that series, Mustafizur has not looked back. In the limited-over formats of the game, he has been very effective for Bangladesh as he has delivered great results with his economical bowling. In the last seven years, Rahman has been a consistent performer for the team which makes him a perfect role model for the future generation of Bangladesh. 9. Mashrafe Mortaza Mashrafe Mortaza played cricket for Bangladesh for more than 19 years. During this period, the all-rounder made himself a massive figure with his diligence and persistence. For years, with his economical bowling, he also led the bowling unit of the team. The former cricketer also captained the side, and under his leadership, the team saw its best days by doing well in multi-nation tournaments such as ICC World Cup 2015, 2016 Asia Cup, and ICC Champions Trophy 2017. In these competitions, Bangladesh looked excellent against top teams. His contribution to the team makes him one of the most respected figures in the country. 10. Shakib Al Hasan After the inclusion of Shakib Al Hasan in the team, Bangladesh have improved excellently. The all-rounder has played a crucial role in elevating the standard of Bangladesh cricket by contributing with the bat, ball, and leadership skills. In 2009, his consistent performance for the team made him the most reliable person in the squad for the role of skipper in Morataza’s absence. Shakib, holding the reins of the team, showed his strength by whitewashing the West Indies in Tests and ODIs in their own backyard. In the country, he is one of the revered personalities due to his highly impressive cricketing career. The veteran cricketer’s part in taking Bangladesh cricket to new heights can never be forgotten.

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10 greatest Bangladeshi cricketers of all time

These iconic figures with their sheer brilliance have helped the country in becoming a reputed cricketing nation.

9. Mashrafe Mortaza

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