Taijul Islam

Taijul Islam, the crafty left-arm spinner from Natore, has built a reputation as one of the most reliable bowlers in Bangladesh’s domestic circuit. He made his first-class debut for Rajshahi Division in the 2010–11 season but truly burst into the spotlight in 2013–14 with a phenomenal run in the Bangladesh Cricket League, where he claimed 37 wickets in just four matches. That season made it clear he was destined for bigger things. Taijul has consistently been among the top wicket-takers in domestic competitions like the National Cricket League and Dhaka Premier League.

Taijul’s Test debut in 2014 against the West Indies was nothing short of spectacular as he picked up a five-wicket haul. He then etched his name in history with a stunning 8/39 against Zimbabwe later that year – the then best figures by a Bangladeshi bowler in Tests. His ODI debut was equally dramatic, taking a hat-trick against Zimbabwe – the first player ever to do so on debut. Since then, he’s become a cornerstone of Bangladesh’s red-ball setup, quietly going about his business and collecting over 200 Test wickets along the way. He was also part of the Bangladesh side in the 2015 ODI World Cup but only played in one game. Islam got back into the ODI side in 2022 after an absence of almost a couple of years, and ended up with his maiden ODI five-wicket haul in the third match against West Indies. In the last few years, he has been one of the first names in the Test team, and with Shakib now retired, he is the senior spinner for his country. Whether it’s holding one end or running through a side, Taijul has delivered time and again, especially in home conditions where he’s nearly unplayable.