Bangladesh complete 25 years in Test cricket

Aminul Islam looks back after hitting a boundary off Sunil Joshi at the Bangabandhu National Stadium during opening Test match against India on November 10, 2000 – AFP

Bangladesh completed 25 years in Test cricket on Monday with highs and lows, though the numbers showed a grim picture.

In these 25 years, Bangladesh played 154 Tests, winning just 23, three of them by an innings margin. They had conceded innings margin defeat in 47 Tests, out of 112 defeats, which depicted their further vulnerability in this elite format of the game.

Bangladesh’s biggest victory and biggest defeat both came against West Indies.

But they had a memorable start to the maiden Test against India. They sprung a surprise by posting 400 runs on the board in the first innings, with Aminul Islam Bulbul, the current BCB president, hitting a century (145 runs). Habibul Bashar Sumon, who became Bangladesh’s captain later, scored 75 runs.

But they faced harsh reality in the second innings by being all out for 91 runs and eventually tasted a nine-wicket defeat in their inaugural Test.

Bangladesh’s highest total in a Test is 638 against Sri Lanka in Galle, which remains their only 600-plus total in the longer format to date.

Bangladesh were all out for less than 100 runs 13 times in Tests, with their lowest being 43 against the West Indies in Antigua in 2018.

Mushfiqur Rahim has played the most Tests for Bangladesh. He has played 98 Tests so far in his 20-year career and is on the verge of being the first Bangladeshi to play 100 Tests. The second Test against Ireland, starting on November 19, will be his 100th Test.

Bangladesh has won the most Tests under the captaincy of Mushfiqur, who has led the side to victory in seven matches out of 34.

Mushfiqur Rahim, who has played the most matches, has also scored the most runs for Bangladesh in Tests. He scored 6328 runs at an average of 38.12 and has 12 centuries, three of which are double centuries.

Mushfiqur Rahim also holds the record for the highest individual innings. He was the first Bangladeshi to score a double century, and his 219 against Zimbabwe in Mirpur in 2018 remains the highest individual innings by a Bangladeshi batter.

He is also part of Bangladesh’s biggest partnership in Tests. He added 359 runs for the fifth wicket with Shakib Al Hasan against New Zealand in Wellington in 2017.

Shakib Al Hasan is Bangladesh’s highest wicket-taker to date with 246 wickets in 71 Tests. Another left-arm spinner, Taijul Islam, will go past Shakib if he takes 10 more wickets. Apart from these two, off-spinner Mehidy Hasan Miraz has 200 wickets.

Taijul Islam holds the record for best bowling by a Bangladeshi bowler when he took 8-39 against Zimbabwe in Mirpur in 2014.

Mehidy Hasan Miraz holds the record for best bowling figure by a Bangladeshi bowler in a Test match, with 12-117 against West Indies in Mirpur in 2015. He also took 12-159 against England at the same venue in 2016. Enamul Haque Junior also had 12-200 against Zimbabwe in 2005.

Bangladeshi bowlers have taken 10 or more wickets eight times in Tests.

Mominul Haque tops the list of most catches by a Bangladeshi player with 42 catches, followed by Mehidy Hasan Miraz with 41 catches.

Liton Das has the most dismissals as a wicketkeeper – 114 (99 catches and 15 stumpings).