Bangladesh Men’s Cricket Team

Captain: Najmul Hossain Shanto (Test, ODI, T20I)
Coaches:

Head Coach: Chandika Hathurusinghe
Assistant Coach: Nic Pothas
Batting Coach: David Hemp
Fast Bowling Coach: Andre Adams

First International Match: 1986
Cricket Board: Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB)

History of the Bangladesh Men’s Cricket Team

Cricket has been played in the Bengal region since the 18th and 19th centuries. However, the eastern part of Bengal, which is now Bangladesh, only started organizing proper cricket tournaments in the 1950s. Back then, this area was known as East Pakistan. The first significant cricket tour in Bangladesh was by an MCC (Marylebone Cricket Club) team in 1976-77. After that, Bangladesh started participating in international tournaments, such as the 1979 ICC Trophy, which was a qualifier for the World Cup.

Bangladesh played their first One Day International (ODI) in 1986. The team made its first World Cup appearance in 1999. They had qualified for the tournament by winning the ICC Trophy in 1997, defeating teams like Scotland and Kenya. When they returned home after qualifying for the World Cup, the country’s prime minister, Sheikh Hasina, welcomed the team, and millions of fans celebrated the victory.

In 1998, Bangladesh hosted the ICC KnockOut Trophy, which was a major success and helped them in their journey to becoming a full member of the International Cricket Council (ICC). Bangladesh’s first big moment in the World Cup came in 1999 when they defeated Pakistan in a stunning upset. This victory, along with their progress in domestic cricket, led to Bangladesh becoming the tenth Test-playing nation in June 2000.

It took Bangladesh 34 Test matches to win their first Test match, which was against Zimbabwe. However, soon after this victory, they faced a tough defeat at Lord’s in England. They did gain some redemption later on the same tour by defeating Australia in an ODI in Cardiff.

From the mid-2000s, under coach Dav Whatmore, Bangladesh’s cricket improved a lot. They defeated strong teams like India and South Africa in the 2007 World Cup, thanks to a combination of experienced players like Mashrafe Mortaza and young talents such as Shakib Al Hasan, Tamim Iqbal, and Mushfiqur Rahim. Although senior players like Habibul Bashar and Mohammad Rafique retired in 2008, the younger generation continued to perform well.

During the 2010s, under various coaches like Jamie Siddons, Shane Jurgensen, and Chandika Hathurusinghe, Bangladesh became a stronger team. Shakib Al Hasan became the No. 1 allrounder in the world, while Mashrafe Mortaza and Tamim Iqbal also became key players. The team’s performance improved in Test cricket too, with notable victories against England and Australia in 2016 and 2017.

In 2024, Bangladesh achieved perhaps their greatest success in Test cricket by defeating Pakistan 2-0 away from home. Despite struggling in World Cups historically, cricket remains the most popular sport in Bangladesh.