Mustafizur Rahman

Mustafizur Rahman is not your quintessential pace bowler but has all the variations in his armoury to succeed in international cricket. His exploits in a U-17 tournament got him to Dhaka in 2012, to attend a fast-bowling camp, which gave him an entry to the BCB's pace foundation. He made an impression there and was soon part of the Bangladesh squad for the 2014 U-19 World Cup.

Then the doors started opening for Rahman after he returned from the U-19 World Cup with eight wickets. The left-arm pacer made his first-class debut for Khulna in the 2013-14 season. He was picked for Bangladesh A's tour of West Indies, and that exposure did a world of good for Rahman. He doesn't have the built to bowl fast but lacks no heart, so worked on his skills and variations in the run up to the 2014-15 first-class season. In that season, Rahman picked 26 wickets at an average of 19.08.

It so happened that during a nets session in Mirpur, Mashrafe Mortaza spotted Rahman's talent, and soon enough he was picked for the one-off T20I against Pakistan. Then followed the India ODI series in mid 2025, where he entered the record books by becoming the second bowler after Brian Vitori to take five-fors in his first two ODIs. Rahman's performance proved pivotal in handing Bangladesh their first-ever ODI series victory over India.

In the following bilateral series against South Africa, Rahman made his Test debut in Chattogram, there too he had good returns including the debut BPL season. The major boost he received was in the IPL, when he was picked for the 2016 edition by Sunrisers Hyderabad, and played a crucial part in the team's title win that year. The same year he signed a contract with Sussex for limited-overs cricket. He made a mark in the 2016 T20 World Cup where he was among wickets and in a match against New Zealand took a five-wicket haul.

In Sunrisers' successful campaign in the 2016 IPL, Rahman picked 16 wickets in 17 matches to be named the Emerging Player of the Tournament. Rahman faced a prolonged absence from cricket due to a shoulder injury sustained while playing for Sussex, causing him to miss matches against England. Despite being part of the Bangladesh team for tours, he was sidelined due to fitness concerns. However, he made a significant contribution during Bangladesh’s tour of Sri Lanka in 2017, where he played a key role in leveling the Test, ODI and T20I series. In the IPL, he had a brief stint with SRH in 2017 before joining the tri-series in Ireland, where he excelled as the top Bangladeshi bowler.

His performance in the 2017 Champions Trophy and subsequent matches was not as impactful, including a quiet home series against Australia and a disappointing tour of South Africa. However, he regained form and was instrumental in Bangladesh's campaign in the 2019 ODI World Cup, finishing as the team’s leading wicket-taker. Despite some setbacks, he continued to shine in the IPL, moving from Sunrisers to Mumbai Indians in 2018, missing a season due to injury, then joining Rajasthan Royals in 2021, and switching to Delhi Capitals in 2022 before Chennai Super Kings signed him up for the 2024 season.

Get all the latest cricket updates and insights at Crickit, your go-to destination for everything cricket. From live match coverage to in-depth analysis and the most recent news about your favourite teams and players, Crickit offers an unparalleled cricket experience.