Bangladesh celebrates 20 years of Test status

Bangladesh completed the 20th year of getting Test status today (Friday). On this day in 2000, the country achieved historic recognition from International Cricket Council (ICC) as the 10th Test playing nation.

Earlier, Bangladesh upheld their claim for the status in international cricket when Tigers won their first major international trophy, the ICC Trophy, beating Kenya in Kuala Lumpur in 1997.

Bangladesh's path to being a Test playing country was a little smoother after their astonishing victory over former world champions Pakistan in their maiden ICC World Cup in England in 1999.

Former ICC President Jagmohan Dalmiya of India extended a good support to Bangladesh to gain the awaited Test status.

The then BCB president Saber Hosssin Chowdhury and BCB general secretary Syed Ashraful Haque played a vital role in the Bangladesh's most awaited and fate deciding ICC meeting in Lord's in June 2000 where Bangladesh was unanimously voted for the Test status.

Later, ICC chief Malcolm Gray, alongside two top BCB officials, Tigers captain Aminul Islam Bulbul, who was in England at that time to play for a English club, made a historic announcement of Bangladesh' s Test status at a press conference at Lord's on 26 June 2000.

Bangladesh applied first for Test status in 1996, but which had no impact at all, later, they applied again in 1997 after winning the ICC Trophy, but their appeal was denied due to inadequate support.

Three Asian countries -- India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka alongside West Indies and Zimbabwe supported Bangladesh candidature while Australia, England, New Zealand and South Africa voted against Bangladesh in 1997.

Finally, Bangladesh unanimously granted Test status in 2000, but they had to wait for five years to win the first Test match in Chittagong against Zimbabwe in 2005.

Bangladesh played their maiden Test against India on November 10 at the Bangabandhu National Stadium in Dhaka in 2000.