:ASHRAFUL: (BANGLADESH CAPTAN)
Full name: Mohammad Ashraful
Full name: Mohammad Ashraful
Born July 7, 1984, Dhaka
Current age 24 years 236 days
Major teams Bangladesh, Asia XI, Dhaka Division, Dhaka Metropolis
Also known as Ashraful Matin
Batting style Right-hand bat
Bowling style Legbreak
On September 8, 2001, at the Sinhalese Sports Club in Colombo, Mohammad Ashraful turned a terrible mismatch into a slice of history by becoming the youngest man - or boy - to make a Test century. Bangladesh still crashed to heavy defeat, but "Matin" brought hope and consolation with a sparkling hundred, repeatedly dancing down to hit the Sri Lankan spinners, including Muralitharan, back over their heads ... and on his debut, too. It was the day before his 17th birthday according to some sources, and 63 days after it according to most others: either way, he broke the long-standing record set by Mushtaq Mohammad (17 years 82 days) when he made 101 for Pakistan against India in 1960-61. Inevitably, such a heady early achievement proved hard to live up to, and after a prolonged poor run Ashraful was dropped for England's first visit in October 2003. He returned to the side a better player, but no less flamboyant, as he demonstrated with a glorious unbeaten 158 in defeat against India at Chittagong late in 2004. Still not 21 when Bangladesh made their maiden tour of England the following year, Ashraful confirmed his status as one for the future at Cardiff, when his brilliantly paced century set Bangladesh up for their astonishing victory over Australia in the NatWest Series. But Ashraful didn't fulfil his evident potential on the tour of Sri Lanka that followed, often getting out to loose shots, and made little impact against the Australians early in 2006 either. An extended run of poor form forced the management to drop Ashraful for the final qualifying match of the Champions Trophy against Zimbabwe. He was also omitted from the squad for the home series against Zimbabwe in December but was immediately recalled after slamming 263 for Dhaka Division against Chittagong Division in the domestic four-day competition. He was appointed Bangladesh's captain in June 2007 at the tender age of 22.
:MASHRAFE BIN MORTAZA:
Full name Mashrafe Bin Mortaza
Born October 5, 1983,
Norail, Jessore
Current age 25 years 148 days
Major teams Bangladesh, Asia XI, Khulna Division
Also known as Koushik
Batting style Right-hand bat
Bowling style Right-arm fast-medium
Young, quick and aggressive, Mashrafe Mortaza has emerged as the leader of Bangladesh's pack of upcoming young pacemen, although fitness remains a problem. He made great strides under the tutelage of Andy Roberts, working on his stamina, and he was given his first Test cap against Zimbabwe at Dhaka in 2001-02, in what was his first-class debut - indeed by mid-2006 he had played only seven first-class matches outside the Test arena. Though banging it in is his preferred style, Mashrafe proved adept at reining in his attacking instincts to concentrate on line and length. He excelled in the second Test against England in 2003-04, taking 4 for 60 in the first innings to keep Bangladesh in touch, but suffered a twisted knee towards the end of the game that kept him out of Tests for over a year. He was recalled towards the end of 2004, and subsequently enhanced his reputation on the inaugural tour of England, standing head and shoulders above his team-mates in a torrid series. He is not a complete mug with the bat. A persistent back injury caused him to return home early and miss the Test series in Sri Lanka in September 2005 - the sixth time he had failed to last throughout a tour - but he was back to face the Australians in April 2006, and removed Matthew Hayden early on to start the Aussies' embarrassment in the first Test at Fatullah. Mortaza broke Aftab Ahmed's national record when he took 6 for 26 to seal a 3-0 win in the one-day series against Kenya in August. Mortaza had a poor Champions Trophy in October-November during which he took only two wickets in three games but he struck form against Zimbabwe and Scotland in the one-day series that followed. Although he's still Bangladesh's spearhead, he has often struggled to maintain the intensity and stamina after starting a good spell. At his peak, he can be a matchwinner, like when his 4 for 44 set up Bangladesh's maiden ODI win against New Zealand in 2008. That form prompted the IPL's Kolkata Knight Riders to to sign him on for $600,000 in February 2009.
:SAKIB AL HASAN:
Full name Shakib Al Hasan
Born March 24, 1987,
Magura, Khulna
Current age 21 years 343 days
Major teams Bangladesh, Bangladesh A, Bangladesh Cricket Board XI, Khulna Division
Batting style Left-hand bat
Bowling style Slow left-arm orthodox
Shakib Al Hasan is a left-arm spinner and talented batsman, who ensured his place in the Bangladesh squad for the U-19 World Cup in Sri Lanka with a blistering performance in the final of the tri-nations U-19 ODI tournament in Bangladesh. Firstly, he took 3 for 39 in the Sri Lankan innings and then scored 100 to guide Bangladesh to victory. Although primarily selected for his bowling, he has shown great potential with the bat. As well as the century, he has scored two half-centuries and has an Afridi-style strike rate of more than 106. Hasan made his one-day debut in the final match against Zimbabwe in July 2006. He scored an unbeaten 30 and helped steer Bangladesh to victory. Since then Hasan has proved to be an asset to his team. He scored his maiden ODI hundred, against Canada in a tri-series before the 2007 World Cup and a year later hit his first against a better attack - Pakistan's. His bowling has been penetrative and economical and his partnership with fellow left-armer Abdur Razzak has been a bonus for Bangladesh. Shakib rattled New Zealand with 7 for 36 in the 2008 Chittagong Test, which till date are the best figures by a Bangladesh bowler in an innings. His sensational batting took Bangladesh to their first ever tri-series final, against Sri Lanka, the following year. He's now one of the most valuable and consistent performers in the team
:TAMIM IQBAL:
Full name Tamim Iqbal Khan
Born March 20, 1989,
ChittagongCurrent age 19 years 347 days
Major teams Bangladesh, Asia XI, Bangladesh A, Bangladesh Under-19s, Chittagong Division
Batting style Left-hand bat
Bowling style Slow left-arm orthodox
Relations Uncle - Akram Khan, Brother - Nafees Iqba
Tamim Iqbal is one of Bangladesh's most assured young batsmen. His most notable innings came for the Under-19s against England at the end of 2005 when he smashed 112 from just 71 balls to help Bangladesh cruise to victory. Tamim is the younger brother of Bangladesh international Nafis Iqbal Khan and nephew of former Bangladesh skipper Akram Khan. The left-hander is regarded as one of the most exciting prospects in Bangladesh cricket and is arguably the hardest hitter of the cricket ball in the country. His elegance and style through the off side is a treat to watch but his trademark shot is the straight drive, capped with a text-book like follow-through.
He made his one-day debut against Zimbabwe in February 2007 and was included in the World Cup squad after playing just two matches. His straight six off Zaheer Khan after chipping down the track was one of the best shots of the tournament. He scored a stylish 84 in his debut Test, against New Zealand in Dunedin and has established his spot at the top of the order. What he needs to do, on a consistent basis, is convert his starts.
He made his one-day debut against Zimbabwe in February 2007 and was included in the World Cup squad after playing just two matches. His straight six off Zaheer Khan after chipping down the track was one of the best shots of the tournament. He scored a stylish 84 in his debut Test, against New Zealand in Dunedin and has established his spot at the top of the order. What he needs to do, on a consistent basis, is convert his starts.
:Mehrab Hossain jnr:
Born July 8, 1987,
DhakaCurrent age 21 years 237 days
Major teams Bangladesh, Bangladesh A, Bangladesh Under-19s, Dhaka Division
Playing role Batsman
Batting style Left-hand bat
Bowling style Left-arm slow
Mehrab Hossain jnr is a left-handed middle-order batsman and handy slow left-arm orthodox bowler, making him a genuine allrounder. Mehrab was initially a part of Bangladesh's Under-19 and A team setup and captained the Bangladesh academy team on a tour of Pakistan. He made his international debut for Bangladesh during the 2006 Champions Trophy in India and started out as an opening batsman in the ODIs before dropping down the order. He scored a fighting 83 in only his second Test, against New Zealand in Chittagong. Still inexperienced at the Test level, he will be looking to seal his spot in the middle order.
Born June 15, 1982,
KhulnaCurrent age 26 years 260 days
Major teams Bangladesh, Asia XI, Bangalore Royal Challengers, Khulna Division
Also known as Raj
Batting style Left-hand bat
Bowling style Slow left-arm orthodox
The latest in Bangladesh's seemingly never-ending supply of left-arm spinners, Abdur Razzaq (no relation to the similarly named Pakistan allrounder) made his mark when he helped unheralded Khulna to their first-ever National Cricket League title in 2001-02. Tall, with a high action, he was also instrumental in Victoria Sporting Club's surprise triumph in the 2002-03 Dhaka Premier Division. He was given his A-team debut during the five-match one-day series against Zimbabwe early in 2004, and took the opportunity well with 15 wickets, including a matchwinning 7 for 17 in the third encounter on the batting paradise of Dhaka's Bangabandhu National Stadium. He has an uncanny ability to pin batsmen down, although the position of his bowling arm during delivery is a worry, and his action has been reported in the past. Bangladesh's coaching staff are using video technology to help iron out anything suspicious. He took 3 for 17 on his one-day debut against Hong Kong in the Asia Cup in Colombo in 2004, but was reported for a suspect action after the next match, against Pakistan. Left out of the Champions Trophy in England later that year, "Raj" played just one ODI - against Zimbabwe in January 2005 - before he was recalled for the home series against Sri Lanka in February 2006. He made his Test debut two months later, called up for the second Test against Australia on a turning track at Chittagong (even the Aussies played three spinners), but failed to take a wicket. He has, however, become a regular in the one-day team and his parsimonious left-arm spin was effective in the Champions Trophy in October. Razzak achieved his career-best figures of 5 for 33 against Zimbabwe in December 2006.
In 2008 he was reported for a suspect action again and this time an independent analysis found that he bent his arm up to 28 degrees - 13 more than the permissible limit. He was suspended from bowling in international cricket.
In 2008 he was reported for a suspect action again and this time an independent analysis found that he bent his arm up to 28 degrees - 13 more than the permissible limit. He was suspended from bowling in international cricket.
:Aftab Ahmed:
Born November 10, 1985,
ChittagongCurrent age 23 years 112 days
Major teams Bangladesh, Bangladesh Under-19s, Chittagong Division, Dhaka Warriors
Batting style Right-hand bat
Bowling style Right-arm medium
Aftab Ahmed first came to the attention of the Bangladeshi selectors after scoring 79 against South Africa in the Under-19 World Cup in 2002, and the following year he was pitched into the Test squad to face England, despite having failed to impress in two earlier warm-up matches. His selection was initially viewed with suspicion by the local media, who regarded Aftab as something of a one-day cowboy, and indeed his desire to belt the cover off the ball has resulted in some all-too-brief performances. His potential, however, is plain to see, and his selection for the seminal tour of England early in 2005 was evidence of the selectors' faith, which he repaid at Chester-le-Street with a defiant, carefree 82 not out, the highest score for Bangladesh in the Test series. He also finished off the historic one-day win over Australia at Cardiff, smashing Jason Gillespie for four and six to seal victory. His medium-pacers have potential as well, as he showed with an astonishing one-day haul of 5 for 31 against New Zealand in November 2004. He led Bangladesh to a 3-2 series victory with an unbeaten 81 in the final match against Zimbabwe in January 2005. Since then, barring that run-a-ball 82 at the Riverside, he's hit a lean patch: he hasn't reached 30 in a Test, while in one-dayers he hit a couple of fifties against the Kenyans early in 2006, but failed to impress against Australia. On the tours of Zimbabwe and Kenya in August, Aftab delighted everyone with his all-out attack attitude but often threw it away when he promised so much more. He struck five fifties in eleven innings against Zimbabwe and Scotland since the Champions Trophy in October but a century still eludes him. He reached a career best of 92 against Zimbabwe in February 2007. However, he suddenly turned his back on Bangladesh cricket when he joined the rebel Indian Cricket League in 2008. He was subsequently handed a 10-year ban by the BCB.
:Farhad Reza:
Born June 16, 1986,
RajshahiCurrent age 22 years 259 days
Major teams Bangladesh, Bangladesh Under-19s, Dhaka Warriors, Rajshahi Division
Batting style Right-hand bat
Bowling style Right-arm fast-medium
Farhad Reza, a middle-order batsman who bowls useful medium-pace, was called up to the national squad for the tour of Zimbabwe in July 2006 after scoring the most runs in the previous year's domestic league. He got his chance in the second one-day international and became the first Bangladeshi to score a fifty - off just 57 balls - on debut. His good form continued on the tour of Kenya that followed and he steered Bangladesh to victory in the first and third one-day internationals. He took his maiden five-wicket haul in ODIs, against Ireland in March 2008 but surprisingly, effectively ended his international career by joining the rebel ICL the same year. He was subsequently handed a 10-year ban by the BCB.
:Habibul Bashar:
Full name Qazi Habibul Bashar
Born August 17, 1972, Nagakanda, Kushtia
Current age 36 years 197 days
Major teams Bangladesh, Biman Bangladesh, Dhaka Warriors, Khulna Division
Also known as Sumon
Batting style Right-hand bat
Bowling style Right-arm offbreak
Impish and impulsive, Habibul Bashar has the style and strokes of a genuine Test player. Most of his runs come from cultured drives through midwicket, and most of his dismissals from a Hilditch-style addiction to the hook. Before Bangladesh's inaugural Test, "Sumon" promised he would kick the habit, but although he made 71 and 30 he was still out hooking ... twice. He has since carried Bangladesh's flimsy middle-order hopes, and inherited the captaincy from Khaled Mahmud in January 2004. After a shaky start in Zimbabwe, he came into his own with a century in St Lucia, as Bangladesh took a first-innings lead in their first Test in the Caribbean. He missed the Champions Trophy in England with an injured thumb - overall he has underperformed in ODIs for such an attacking player - but returned to captain in England in 2005 when, lo and behold, the hook habit cut him down twice at Lord's. But he restored pride with a hard-hitting 61 to conclude a disappointing series. Habibul's greatest moment as captain came a few weeks later at Cardiff, with a convincing five-wicket win over Australia in the NatWest Series. However, normal service resumed in September in Sri Lanka, where Bangladesh were blanked in both Tests and one-dayers. That he topped the Test averages was little consolation for Habibul, who called the tour his "worst ever". But things were looking up: he made 76 (and was run out for 7) as Bangladesh ran Australia awfully close at Fatullah in April 2006. After a disappointing Champions Trophy campaign in 2006, Bashar led Bangladesh to convincing one-day series victories against Zimbabwe and Scotland. His best moment as captain came when Bangladesh entered the Super Eights in the 2007 World Cup, and their campaign included wins against India and South Africa. However, his batting form suffered and as a non-contributing senior, was dropped and replaced as captain by Mohammad Ashraful. With no signs of a recall, he decided to join the Bangladesh exodus to the ICL in 2008 and was named captain of the Dhaka Warriors. He was subsequently handed a 10-year ban by the BCB.
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