Happy birthday, Mustafizur Rahman. One of Bangladesh’s greatest-ever pace bowlers turns 31 today. He has been playing international cricket for 11 years, and his career is filled with memorable moments. On his birthday, here are the 10 best moments of Mustafizur’s career.
24 April, 2015. Mustafizur’s first day in international cricket. The opponent was Pakistan. But this was the Pakistan of Shahid Afridi—‘Boom Boom’ was still a formidable force. And Mustafizur started with him.
Afridi became Mustafizur’s first international wicket. He later dismissed Mohammad Hafeez as well. He finished with two wickets for 20 runs in four overs. Sixteen of his 24 deliveries were dot balls. Bangladesh beat Pakistan after 16 years.
Just two months after making his T20 debut, Mustafizur made his ODI debut on 18 June, 2015. He immediately made an impression, dismissing Rohit Sharma and Ajinkya Rahane. But because of his inexperience, he repeatedly stopped in the middle of his run-up. Rohit brought it to the umpire’s attention. Dhoni, without saying anything, walked straight into him.
The collision forced Mustafizur to leave the field for medical attention. After returning, he dismissed Suresh Raina, Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja. He finished his debut with five wickets for 50 runs, was named Player of the Match, and Bangladesh won.
Five wickets in the first match, six in the second. Eleven wickets in two games. He added another two in the third ODI. With 13 wickets in his first-ever series, Mustafizur was named Player of the Series.
His ability to trouble India’s star-studded batting lineup instantly made him the centre of attention.
Mustafizur went wicketless in his first 13 overs of his Test debut. It seemed he might have been brought into the format too soon. But magic arrived in the 14th over.
He dismissed Hashim Amla with the first ball and JP Duminy with the next. He missed out on a hat-trick but bowled Quinton de Kock with the fourth delivery. Three wickets in one over.
The match was drawn due to rain, but Mustafizur was named Player of the Match.
At the 2016 T20 World Cup, Mustafizur took five wickets for 22 runs against New Zealand. Four of his victims, including Kane Williamson, were bowled.
He took nine wickets in three matches. After wreaking havoc with his cutters in the series against India, the ‘Cutter Master’ continued to shine at the World Cup. That performance helped earn him an opportunity in the IPL.
In his first IPL match, Mustafizur’s first victims were AB de Villiers and Shane Watson. Playing for Sunrisers Hyderabad, he took two wickets for 26 runs in four overs.
The other five bowlers in the team conceded more than 12 runs per over, while Mustafizur’s economy rate was just 6.50.
The image remains vivid in cricket fans’ memories. Shakib Al Hasan was playing for Kolkata, while Mustafizur represented Hyderabad. A brilliant yorker from Mustafizur not only bowled Kolkata’s Andre Russell but also sent him tumbling onto the stumps.
That was the only real moment of excitement in the entire match.
Mustafizur played a role in every Sunrisers Hyderabad victory that season. He took 17 wickets in 16 matches at an average of 24.76, with an economy rate of just 6.90.
It was not just about the numbers. He played a role at key turning points in the team’s successful campaign. As a result, he became the first overseas player to win the IPL’s Emerging Player award. To this day, he remains the only overseas player to have received the honour.
His ODI World Cup debut was equally impressive. At the 2019 World Cup, he took 20 wickets in eight matches. He claimed five wickets against India and another five against Pakistan.
He finished the tournament as the fourth-highest wicket-taker.
In 2024, Mustafizur made history against the United States in Houston. No Bangladeshi bowler had previously taken six wickets in an international T20.
He took six wickets for just 10 runs in four overs. Mustafizur also holds the record for the most wickets by a Bangladeshi bowler in T20 internationals.