Mohammad Ashraful
Encyclopedia
Mohammad Ashraful (born 7 July 1984) is a Bangladeshi international cricket
player and has represented the Bangladesh national cricket team. A top-order batsman with a penchant for flashy strokeplay, he has also been selected to represent ACC Asia XI ODI side. Between 2007 and 2009, Ashraful captained his country in 13 Tests, losing all but one which ended in a draw, and 38 One Day Internationals (ODIs) of which Bangladesh won eight. Ashraful is Bangladesh's highest run-scorer in ODIs and second highest in Tests behind Habibul Bashar
. When not playing with the national team, Ashraful plays domestic cricket for the Dhaka Division cricket team
in Bangladesh's domestic one-day
and first-class
competitions, captaining both sides on occasion.
. He opened the batting, scoring 41 and 6; Ashraful also claimed five wickets for 59 runs in the first innings with his leg-spin bowling. Three days later Ashraful made his list A debut, again playing for Dhaka Metropolis and opening the batting he scored 22 and took two wickets as his team won the match. Ashraful scored his maiden first-class century in his second match, making 101 against Khulna Division
. The seven wickets Ashraful took for 99 runs in a match against Chittagong Division
in January 2001 remain his best bowling figures. Over the course of the season he played ten first-class matches – scoring 585 runs at an average of 30.78, including two centuries, and taking 39 wickets at an average of 25.48, including three five-wicket hauls. He also played nine list A matches, scoring 85 runs and taking four wickets.
Ashraful made his ODI debut against Zimbabwe on 11 April 2001, where he made 9 runs and Bangladesh lost the match by 36 runs. He took his first international wicket in the match, that of Andy Flower
.
Ashraful made his Test debut on 6 September 2001 against Sri Lanka. He top-scored in each innings, and although Bangladesh slumped to an innings defeat, Ashraful scored 114, and in the process became the youngest player to score a Test century, beating Mushtaq Mohammad
's record, and was named man of the match
. In the process, he became just the second Bangladesh player to score a Test century on debut, the first since Aminul Islam Bulbul in 2000 during Bangladesh's first Test. Trevor Chappell
, a former coach of Bangladesh's national side, commented that "His determination, commitment and attention to detail would put a mature and an established person to shame. The manner he concentrates on his batting made me believe that the lad is destined to have a long cricketing journey." Following the century, Ashraful began receiving high expectations. However, a prolonged string of poor performances and soft dismissals resulted in him being dropped from the national team.
He had a poor first World Cup – the 2003 Cricket World Cup
– making 71 runs at an average of 14.20, with Bangladesh being eliminated in the Group Stage.
In February and March 2004, Bangladesh toured of Zimbabwe
. At the time, Zimbabwe were without many of their senior players, but still won the Test series 1–0 and the ODI series 2–1. The solitary ODI victory was Bangladesh's first international win since defeating Pakistan in the 1999 World Cup; Ashraful scored 51 runs from 32 balls in the match and was named man of the match. Ashraful returned to the team in December 2004 against the Indian cricket team
and scored his second century, 158 not out
, claiming the record for the highest individual Test score by a Bangladeshi. India's captain, Sourav Ganguly
, described the innings as one of the best Test innings he had seen.
In May and June 2005
, Bangladesh toured England for a two-Test series against the hosts and a triangular ODI tournament involving England Australia. Although they won just one ODI out of six, their solitary victory against Australia was described by Wisden
as "the biggest upset in one-day international history". Ashraful scored 100 to help his side to victory and was named Man of the Match for his efforts. He scored two more half centuries in the series, finishing with 259 runs at an average of 43.16, making him third-highest run-getter for the series.
In 2006 he scored his third century, with 136 in the first test against Sri Lanka
.
In November 2006 he set a league record score of 263, against Chittagong Division
for Bangladeshi first-class cricket – although this record has since been bettered by Raqibul Hasan
.
Ashraful was selected for the Asian squad in the inaugural Afro-Asia Cup
. With bowler Mashrafe Mortaza
, he was one of two Bangladeshi players in the 15-man squad. Ashraful played in two of the matches, but failed to score a run.
Sonargaon Cricketers, a new team in the Dhaka Premier Division League for the 2005/06 season, signed Ashraful and Mohammad Rafique
. The team lost four of its first five games and sought a change of leadership in an attempt to improve its results. Ashraful was appointed captain at a time when the club was facing relegation. Under his leadership, Sonargaon finished second in the league. The opening match of the two-Test series against Sri Lanka in February and March 2006 was played at Chittagong Divisional Stadium
, the first international match the ground hosted. He scored 136 in the first innings, bringing up his third Test century; he received the man of the match award, although Sri Lanka won by eight wickets. Bangladesh lost the second Test by ten wickets and the series 2 0, with Ashraful managing 37 runs in the match and claimed the wicket of Mahela Jayawardene
.
He played for Rainhill CC in a local cricket league in England.
The West Indies hosted the 2007 Cricket World Cup
in March and April; Ashraful was included in the 15-man squad led by Habibul Bashar
. Bangladesh made it to the second stage of the competition and finished seventh. Along the way the team caused an upset by India to help knock them out of the tournament. Ashraful scored 87 runs from 83 balls against South Africa in the course of Bangladesh's 67-run victory. His innings was the highest score by a Bangladesh player in World Cups and he was named man of the match for the performance. With 216 runs from 9 matches at an average of 36, Ashraful was Bangladesh's highest run-scorer in the tournament.
On 6 February 2009, Ashraful took part in a player auction for the 2009 Indian Premier League
. The Mumbai Indians
bought him for his base price of US$ 75,000, but he only played one game and scored just 2 runs.
Shortly after the World Cup, India toured Bangladesh
for two Test matches and three ODIs. In the second Test, which Bangladesh lost by an innings and 239 runs, Ashraful scored the fastest half-century in Test cricket in terms of time (taking 27 minutes) and equal second-fastest when measured in balls faced (scored off 26 balls). Aside from the 67 he managed in one of the fastest half-centuries in Test cricket, Ashraful managed just five more runs in the series; in two ODIs, he scored 41 runs. After defeats in both series, Habibul Bashar
stepped down from Bangladesh's one day captaincy; Mohammad Ashraful was appointed the team captain in all forms of cricket on 2 June 2007. At the time, he had played 35 Test and 101 ODIs and had some experience of captaincy at domestic level. Aged 22, he was the second-youngest international captain
Ashraful and Mortaza took on these roles from the start of the Sri Lanka tour
in June 2007. Whatmore had declined to extend his contract and Shaun Williams took over as coach on a temporary basis. Bangladesh lost all three Tests by an innings; in a series in which his teams batsmen struggled – in the second Test they registered their lowest scored in an innings (62) – Ashraful scored the most runs for Bangladesh with 218 at an average of 43. In the second Test Ashraful combined with wicketkeeper Mushfiqur Rahim
to score 191 for the sixth wicket, establishing a record for Bangladesh, and Ashraful scored 129 not out. Bangladesh also lost the three-match ODI series that followed 3–0. In September 2007 South Africa hosted the ICC World Twenty20. Victory against West Indies in the first round was enough to ensure Bangladesh's progression to the second round, although it was the only one of their five matches they won. In the match against West Indies, Ashraful scored a record-breaking half-century, coming off just 20 deliveries it was at the time the fastest T20I half-century in terms of balls faced; he held onto the record for six days before Yuvraj Singh
claimed it in a match against England (his 50 took just 12 balls).
During the first Test match of South Africa's 2007–08 tour
, Ashraful dismissed AB de Villiers in very unusual fashion: after the ball left his hand it bounced twice, at which point de Villiers attempted to hit the ball but instead sent it straight up instead. Ashraful caught the ball and, despite de Villiers standing his ground, umpire Steve Bucknor
confirmed the dismissal. The dismissal was legal per Law 24, section 6 of the Laws of cricket
which state the ball must bounce more than twice or roll along the ground to be deemed a no-ball.
Mohammad Ashraful created some controversy in March 2008 when he slapped a fan who called him "rubbish" while he was training at an indoor stadium in Dhaka
. This happened at a time when Ashraful was being heavily criticised in the media for his poor form with the bat and questionable tactics on the field as captain. The BCB fined him 25% of his salary for the month of March 2008 for violating the Code of Conduct. He later apologised for the incident.
After an extended run of poor form and Bangladesh's first-round exit in the World Twenty20 2009
, Ashraful was sacked as captain in June 2009. He was replaced by Mashrafe Mortaza for the tour of West Indies, with Shakib Al Hasan taking the position of vice-captain. It was hoped that Ashraful could climb out of the batting form slump in all formats in the international game with the release of the pressure of the captaincy.
in February and March 2010. He was recalled for Bangladesh's tour of England
two months later. He struggled in June's 2010 Asia Cup
, and was subsequently dropped; he was recalled for the ODI leg of the England tour due to injuries to the squad. After a poor run of form, Ashraful was dropped for ODI series against New Zealand
in October 2010. He returned to domestic cricket, scoring a century for Dhaka Division in the opening match of the National Cricket League
. Dhaka won the one-day competition
, and Ashraful, who was the second-highest run-getter with 331 runs and claimed 7 wickets from 7 matches, was named player of the tournament. The West Indies toured in October, but after scoring just two runs in as many matches in the ODI series against them, Ashraful was dropped from the Test squad.
Ashraful captained Bangladesh at the 2010 Asian Games
in late November. They played Afghanistan in the final; Bangladesh won by five wickets, securing the country's first gold medal at the Asian Games. Shortly after wining the tournament, Ashraful was recalled to Bangladesh's full squad for the five-match ODI series against Zimbabwe
in December. Though they lost the first match, Bangladesh went on to win the next three completed, with one called off due to rain, to beat Zimbabwe 3–1. Ashraful played one match, scoring six runs. He was included in Bangladesh's 15-man squad for the 2011 World Cup. From three matches Ashraful managed 18 runs and was dropped from the squad for the three-match ODI series against Australia that followed.
In April he captained Bangladesh A on a tour of South Africa and his performances, including striking a one-day century, earned him a recall to the senior squad to face Zimbabwe in August. In the one-off Test, Ashraful scored the most runs for his team with an aggregate of 112, including a half-century as Bangladesh succumbed to defeat. Bangladesh lost the following ODI series against Zimbabwe 3–2. Bangladesh's batsmen struggled early in the series, and Ashraful scored 23 runs from three matches. For the 2011/12 season, the National Cricket League of Bangladesh was expanded from six first-class teams to eight. Dhaka Metropolis and Rangpur Division
were the new teams, with Ashraful captaining the former. Though he scored his first first-class century in over a year in the competition, Ashraful was dropped from the ODI squad to face Pakistan in December
.
Test centuries
ODI centuries
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
player and has represented the Bangladesh national cricket team. A top-order batsman with a penchant for flashy strokeplay, he has also been selected to represent ACC Asia XI ODI side. Between 2007 and 2009, Ashraful captained his country in 13 Tests, losing all but one which ended in a draw, and 38 One Day Internationals (ODIs) of which Bangladesh won eight. Ashraful is Bangladesh's highest run-scorer in ODIs and second highest in Tests behind Habibul Bashar
Habibul Bashar
Qazi Habibul Bashar is a Bangladeshi cricketer, and the former captain of the Bangladeshi cricket team. Under the managership of Davenell Frederick 'Dav' Whatmore, he has been found to be the most successful captain to lead the Bangladesh team to overcome several milestones. The first test...
. When not playing with the national team, Ashraful plays domestic cricket for the Dhaka Division cricket team
Dhaka Division cricket team
The Dhaka Division cricket team is a first class cricket team representing the Dhaka Division region in Bangladesh.The club plays most of its home games at the Dhanmondi Cricket Stadium in Dhaka.-Honours:...
in Bangladesh's domestic one-day
One-day cricket
Limited overs cricket, also known as one-day cricket and in a slightly different context as List A cricket, is a version of the sport of cricket in which a match is generally completed in one day, whereas Test and first-class matches can take up to five days to complete...
and first-class
First-class cricket
First-class cricket is a class of cricket that consists of matches of three or more days' scheduled duration, that are between two sides of eleven players and are officially adjudged first-class by virtue of the standard of the competing teams...
competitions, captaining both sides on occasion.
Career
Ashraful made his first-class debut on 22 November 2000, playing for Dhaka Metropolis cricket teamDhaka Metropolis cricket team
The Dhaka Metropolis cricket team is a first-class cricket team in Bangladesh.The club initially played for only one season in 2000-01 with most of its home games at the Dhanmondi Cricket Stadium in Dhaka....
. He opened the batting, scoring 41 and 6; Ashraful also claimed five wickets for 59 runs in the first innings with his leg-spin bowling. Three days later Ashraful made his list A debut, again playing for Dhaka Metropolis and opening the batting he scored 22 and took two wickets as his team won the match. Ashraful scored his maiden first-class century in his second match, making 101 against Khulna Division
Khulna Division cricket team
The Khulna Division cricket team is a first-class cricket team representing the Khulna Division region in Bangladesh.The club plays most of its home games at the Khulna Divisional Stadium in Khulna.-Honours:...
. The seven wickets Ashraful took for 99 runs in a match against Chittagong Division
Chittagong Division cricket team
The Chittagong Division cricket team is a first-class cricket team representing the Chittagong Division region in Bangladesh.The club plays most of its home games at the Bir Shrestha Shahid Ruhul Amin Stadium in Chittagong.-External links:* *...
in January 2001 remain his best bowling figures. Over the course of the season he played ten first-class matches – scoring 585 runs at an average of 30.78, including two centuries, and taking 39 wickets at an average of 25.48, including three five-wicket hauls. He also played nine list A matches, scoring 85 runs and taking four wickets.
Ashraful made his ODI debut against Zimbabwe on 11 April 2001, where he made 9 runs and Bangladesh lost the match by 36 runs. He took his first international wicket in the match, that of Andy Flower
Andy Flower
Andrew "Andy" Flower OBE is a former international cricketer for Zimbabwe and is currently the England coach.-Playing career:...
.
Mushtaq Mohammad
Mushtaq Mohammad is a former Pakistani cricketer who played in 57 Tests and 10 ODIs from 1959 to 1979. A right-handed batsman and a leg-spinner, he is one of the most successful Pakistani all-rounders and went on to captain his country in nineteen Test matches...
's record, and was named man of the match
Man of the match
In sport, a Man of the Match or Player of the Game or Man of the Series award is given to the outstanding player, almost always the one who makes the most impact, in a particular match or series. The term was originally used more often in cricket before being adopted by other sports. This can be a...
. In the process, he became just the second Bangladesh player to score a Test century on debut, the first since Aminul Islam Bulbul in 2000 during Bangladesh's first Test. Trevor Chappell
Trevor Chappell
Trevor Martin Chappell is a former Australian cricketer, a member of the South Australian Chappell family which excelled at cricket...
, a former coach of Bangladesh's national side, commented that "His determination, commitment and attention to detail would put a mature and an established person to shame. The manner he concentrates on his batting made me believe that the lad is destined to have a long cricketing journey." Following the century, Ashraful began receiving high expectations. However, a prolonged string of poor performances and soft dismissals resulted in him being dropped from the national team.
He had a poor first World Cup – the 2003 Cricket World Cup
2003 Cricket World Cup
-Group stage tables and results:The top three teams from each pool qualify for the next stage, carrying forward the points already scored against fellow qualifiers, plus a quarter of the points scored against the teams that failed to qualify.-Pool A:...
– making 71 runs at an average of 14.20, with Bangladesh being eliminated in the Group Stage.
In February and March 2004, Bangladesh toured of Zimbabwe
Bangladeshi cricket team in Zimbabwe in 2003–04
-2nd Test:-1st ODI:-2nd ODI:-3rd ODI:-4th ODI:-5th ODI:...
. At the time, Zimbabwe were without many of their senior players, but still won the Test series 1–0 and the ODI series 2–1. The solitary ODI victory was Bangladesh's first international win since defeating Pakistan in the 1999 World Cup; Ashraful scored 51 runs from 32 balls in the match and was named man of the match. Ashraful returned to the team in December 2004 against the Indian cricket team
Indian cricket team
The Indian cricket team is the national cricket team of India. Governed by the Board of Control for Cricket in India , it is a full member of the International Cricket Council with Test and One Day International status....
and scored his second century, 158 not out
Not out
In cricket, a batsman will be not out if he comes out to bat in an innings and has not been dismissed by the end of the innings. One may similarly describe a batsman as not out while the innings is still in progress...
, claiming the record for the highest individual Test score by a Bangladeshi. India's captain, Sourav Ganguly
Sourav Ganguly
Sourav Chandidas Ganguly is a former Indian cricketer, and captain of the Indian national team. Born into an affluent family, Ganguly was introduced into the world of cricket by his elder brother Snehasish. He is regarded as one of India's most successful captains in modern times. He started his...
, described the innings as one of the best Test innings he had seen.
In May and June 2005
Bangladeshi cricket team in England in 2005
Michael Vaughan won the toss and put Bangladesh in to bat at 10.30am on the first day at Lord's. The first ten overs of bowling by Steve Harmison and Matthew Hoggard were lacklustre, as neither mastered the early-morning swing and they bowled a wide line. A stronger side would have scored more runs...
, Bangladesh toured England for a two-Test series against the hosts and a triangular ODI tournament involving England Australia. Although they won just one ODI out of six, their solitary victory against Australia was described by Wisden
Wisden
The Wisden Group was a group of companies formed by John Wisden & Co Ltd, publishers of Wisden Cricketers' Almanack. As well as John Wisden & Co, the group included the The Wisden Cricketer magazine, Cricinfo – the world's highest traffic cricket website – and the Hawk-Eye computerised...
as "the biggest upset in one-day international history". Ashraful scored 100 to help his side to victory and was named Man of the Match for his efforts. He scored two more half centuries in the series, finishing with 259 runs at an average of 43.16, making him third-highest run-getter for the series.
In 2006 he scored his third century, with 136 in the first test against Sri Lanka
Sri Lankan cricket team
The Sri Lankan cricket team is the national cricket team of Sri Lanka. The team first played international cricket in 1926–27, and were later awarded Test status in 1981, which made Sri Lanka the eighth Test cricket playing nation...
.
In November 2006 he set a league record score of 263, against Chittagong Division
Chittagong Division cricket team
The Chittagong Division cricket team is a first-class cricket team representing the Chittagong Division region in Bangladesh.The club plays most of its home games at the Bir Shrestha Shahid Ruhul Amin Stadium in Chittagong.-External links:* *...
for Bangladeshi first-class cricket – although this record has since been bettered by Raqibul Hasan
Raqibul Hasan Jr.
Raqibul Hasan is a Bangladesh international cricketer who also plays for Dhaka Division. He played in the 2006 U-19 Cricket World Cup in Sri Lanka and in 2007 became the first Bangladeshi cricketer to score a triple hundred in first class cricket when Barisal played Sylhet Division in March 2007...
.
Ashraful was selected for the Asian squad in the inaugural Afro-Asia Cup
2005 Afro-Asian Cup
The Afro-Asia Cup was a cricket competition played for the first time in 2005 and which is intended to run for at least three years. The idea was to raise money for the Asian Cricket Council and the African Cricket Association, and the whole venture was given a massive boost when the ICC, somewhat...
. With bowler Mashrafe Mortaza
Mashrafe Mortaza
Mashrafe Bin Mortaza is a Bangladeshi cricketer. He broke into the national side in late 2001 against Zimbabwe and represented Bangladesh before having played a single first-class match...
, he was one of two Bangladeshi players in the 15-man squad. Ashraful played in two of the matches, but failed to score a run.
Sonargaon Cricketers, a new team in the Dhaka Premier Division League for the 2005/06 season, signed Ashraful and Mohammad Rafique
Mohammad Rafique
Mohammed Rafique is a Bangladeshi cricketer. He is the leading wicket-taker for Bangladesh in Test matches.-International career:...
. The team lost four of its first five games and sought a change of leadership in an attempt to improve its results. Ashraful was appointed captain at a time when the club was facing relegation. Under his leadership, Sonargaon finished second in the league. The opening match of the two-Test series against Sri Lanka in February and March 2006 was played at Chittagong Divisional Stadium
Chittagong Divisional Stadium
-See also:*List of Test cricket grounds...
, the first international match the ground hosted. He scored 136 in the first innings, bringing up his third Test century; he received the man of the match award, although Sri Lanka won by eight wickets. Bangladesh lost the second Test by ten wickets and the series 2 0, with Ashraful managing 37 runs in the match and claimed the wicket of Mahela Jayawardene
Mahela Jayawardene
Denagamage Proboth Mahela de Silva Jayawardene , known as Mahela Jayawardene, is the former captain of the Sri Lankan cricket team. He is a specialist batsman who has a Test average of over 50, and an ODI average in the 30s...
.
He played for Rainhill CC in a local cricket league in England.
The West Indies hosted the 2007 Cricket World Cup
2007 Cricket World Cup
The 2007 ICC Cricket World Cup was the ninth edition of the ICC Cricket World Cup tournament that took place in the West Indies from 13 March to 28 April 2007, using the sport's One Day International format...
in March and April; Ashraful was included in the 15-man squad led by Habibul Bashar
Habibul Bashar
Qazi Habibul Bashar is a Bangladeshi cricketer, and the former captain of the Bangladeshi cricket team. Under the managership of Davenell Frederick 'Dav' Whatmore, he has been found to be the most successful captain to lead the Bangladesh team to overcome several milestones. The first test...
. Bangladesh made it to the second stage of the competition and finished seventh. Along the way the team caused an upset by India to help knock them out of the tournament. Ashraful scored 87 runs from 83 balls against South Africa in the course of Bangladesh's 67-run victory. His innings was the highest score by a Bangladesh player in World Cups and he was named man of the match for the performance. With 216 runs from 9 matches at an average of 36, Ashraful was Bangladesh's highest run-scorer in the tournament.
On 6 February 2009, Ashraful took part in a player auction for the 2009 Indian Premier League
2009 Indian Premier League
The 2009 Indian Premier League season, abbreviated as IPL 2 or the 2009 IPL, was the second season of the Indian Premier League, established by the Board of Control for Cricket in India in 2007. The tournament was hosted by South Africa and was played between 18 April and 24 May 2009...
. The Mumbai Indians
Mumbai Indians
Mumbai Indians , is a franchise cricket team representing Mumbai in the Indian Premier League. The team is one of the eight founding members of the IPL in 2008. Mumbai Indians are currently led by Sachin Tendulkar, who is the Icon Player for the team and is coached by Robin Singh...
bought him for his base price of US$ 75,000, but he only played one game and scored just 2 runs.
Bangladesh captaincy (2007–2009)
| Ashraful's record as captain | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Matches | Won | Lost | Drawn | |
| Test | 13 | 0 | 12 | 1 |
| ODI | 38 | 8 | 30 | – |
Shortly after the World Cup, India toured Bangladesh
Indian cricket team in Bangladesh in 2007
The Indian cricket team toured Bangladesh for two Test matches and three One Day Internationals in May 2007. The first match was played on May 10, the first of three ODIs with India defeating Bangladesh by five wickets - less than two months after Bangladesh shocked India by defeating them by five...
for two Test matches and three ODIs. In the second Test, which Bangladesh lost by an innings and 239 runs, Ashraful scored the fastest half-century in Test cricket in terms of time (taking 27 minutes) and equal second-fastest when measured in balls faced (scored off 26 balls). Aside from the 67 he managed in one of the fastest half-centuries in Test cricket, Ashraful managed just five more runs in the series; in two ODIs, he scored 41 runs. After defeats in both series, Habibul Bashar
Habibul Bashar
Qazi Habibul Bashar is a Bangladeshi cricketer, and the former captain of the Bangladeshi cricket team. Under the managership of Davenell Frederick 'Dav' Whatmore, he has been found to be the most successful captain to lead the Bangladesh team to overcome several milestones. The first test...
stepped down from Bangladesh's one day captaincy; Mohammad Ashraful was appointed the team captain in all forms of cricket on 2 June 2007. At the time, he had played 35 Test and 101 ODIs and had some experience of captaincy at domestic level. Aged 22, he was the second-youngest international captain
Ashraful and Mortaza took on these roles from the start of the Sri Lanka tour
Bangladeshi cricket team in Sri Lanka in 2007
The Bangladesh cricket team toured Sri Lanka for three Test matches and three One Day Internationals in June and July 2007. This series held Mohammad Ashraful's first Test and ODI matches as captain of Bangladesh...
in June 2007. Whatmore had declined to extend his contract and Shaun Williams took over as coach on a temporary basis. Bangladesh lost all three Tests by an innings; in a series in which his teams batsmen struggled – in the second Test they registered their lowest scored in an innings (62) – Ashraful scored the most runs for Bangladesh with 218 at an average of 43. In the second Test Ashraful combined with wicketkeeper Mushfiqur Rahim
Mushfiqur Rahim
Mohammad Mushfiqur Rahim is a Bangladeshi cricketer and captain of the national team. Between August 2009 and December 2010 Rahim served as Bangladesh's vice-captain. He specialises as a wicket-keeper and is a lower-order batsman...
to score 191 for the sixth wicket, establishing a record for Bangladesh, and Ashraful scored 129 not out. Bangladesh also lost the three-match ODI series that followed 3–0. In September 2007 South Africa hosted the ICC World Twenty20. Victory against West Indies in the first round was enough to ensure Bangladesh's progression to the second round, although it was the only one of their five matches they won. In the match against West Indies, Ashraful scored a record-breaking half-century, coming off just 20 deliveries it was at the time the fastest T20I half-century in terms of balls faced; he held onto the record for six days before Yuvraj Singh
Yuvraj Singh
Yuvraj Singh Bhandal is an Indian cricketer, and the son of former Indian fast bowler and Punjabi movie star Yograj Singh. He has been a member of the Indian cricket team since 2000 and played his first Test match in 2003. He was the vice captain of the ODI team from late-2007 to late-2008...
claimed it in a match against England (his 50 took just 12 balls).
During the first Test match of South Africa's 2007–08 tour
South African cricket team in Bangladesh in 2007-08
-2nd Test:-1st ODI: -2nd ODI: -3rd ODI: -Bangladesh Cricket Board XI v South Africans:-BCB XI v South Africans:...
, Ashraful dismissed AB de Villiers in very unusual fashion: after the ball left his hand it bounced twice, at which point de Villiers attempted to hit the ball but instead sent it straight up instead. Ashraful caught the ball and, despite de Villiers standing his ground, umpire Steve Bucknor
Steve Bucknor
The Honourable Stephen Anthony Bucknor OJ, also known as Steve Bucknor, is a former international cricket umpire. He was born in Montego Bay, Jamaica, on 31 May 1946. He became a high school mathematics teacher and sports coach, before becoming an international football referee and a cricket umpire...
confirmed the dismissal. The dismissal was legal per Law 24, section 6 of the Laws of cricket
Laws of cricket
The laws of cricket are a set of rules established by the Marylebone Cricket Club which describe the laws of cricket worldwide, to ensure uniformity and fairness. There are currently 42 laws, which outline all aspects of how the game is played from how a team wins a game, how a batsman is...
which state the ball must bounce more than twice or roll along the ground to be deemed a no-ball.
Mohammad Ashraful created some controversy in March 2008 when he slapped a fan who called him "rubbish" while he was training at an indoor stadium in Dhaka
Dhaka
Dhaka is the capital of Bangladesh and the principal city of Dhaka Division. Dhaka is a megacity and one of the major cities of South Asia. Located on the banks of the Buriganga River, Dhaka, along with its metropolitan area, had a population of over 15 million in 2010, making it the largest city...
. This happened at a time when Ashraful was being heavily criticised in the media for his poor form with the bat and questionable tactics on the field as captain. The BCB fined him 25% of his salary for the month of March 2008 for violating the Code of Conduct. He later apologised for the incident.
After an extended run of poor form and Bangladesh's first-round exit in the World Twenty20 2009
2009 ICC World Twenty20
The 2009 ICC World Twenty20 was an international Twenty20 cricket tournament which took place in England in June 2009. It was the second ICC World Twenty20 tournament, following the inaugural event in South Africa in September 2007...
, Ashraful was sacked as captain in June 2009. He was replaced by Mashrafe Mortaza for the tour of West Indies, with Shakib Al Hasan taking the position of vice-captain. It was hoped that Ashraful could climb out of the batting form slump in all formats in the international game with the release of the pressure of the captaincy.
Post-captaincy (2009–present)
Ashraful was dropped when England toured BangladeshEnglish cricket team in Bangladesh in 2009–10
The England cricket team toured Bangladesh, playing three One Day Internationals and two Test matches, at the end of the 2009–10 cricket season. They were captained by Alastair Cook, due to regular captain Andrew Strauss controversially missing the series to rest for the 2010–11 Ashes series...
in February and March 2010. He was recalled for Bangladesh's tour of England
Bangladeshi cricket team in England in 2010
-2nd Test:-1st ODI:-2nd ODI:-3rd ODI:-First Class: Surrey vs Bangladeshis:-First Class: Bangladeshis vs Essex:-First Class: Bangladeshis vs England Lions:-List A: Sussex vs Bangladeshis:-List A: Middlesex vs Bangladeshis:...
two months later. He struggled in June's 2010 Asia Cup
2010 Asia Cup
The 2010 Asia Cup was the tenth edition of the Asia Cup cricket tournament, which was held in Sri Lanka from 15–24 June 2010. India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh were taking part in the competition. India defeated Sri Lanka by 81 runs in the final to win a record 5th Asia Cup title...
, and was subsequently dropped; he was recalled for the ODI leg of the England tour due to injuries to the squad. After a poor run of form, Ashraful was dropped for ODI series against New Zealand
New Zealand cricket team in Bangladesh in 2010–11
The New Zealand cricket team toured Bangladesh from 5–17 October 2010. There were five One Day Internationals scheduled. This was the first time that Bangladesh won a series against a full strength test playing nation .-1st ODI:-2nd ODI:-3rd ODI:-4th ODI:-5th ODI:- References :...
in October 2010. He returned to domestic cricket, scoring a century for Dhaka Division in the opening match of the National Cricket League
National Cricket League of Bangladesh
The National Cricket League is the domestic first class cricket competition in Bangladesh.The National Cricket League had in fact been inaugurated in the 1999–2000 season but was not then first-class...
. Dhaka won the one-day competition
One-Day Cricket League of Bangladesh
The One-Day Cricket League is the principal domestic limited overs cricket competition in Bangladesh.Bangladesh became the tenth Full Member of the ICC in 2000 and the one-day league was inaugurated in the 2000–01 season.-One-Day Cricket League Winners:...
, and Ashraful, who was the second-highest run-getter with 331 runs and claimed 7 wickets from 7 matches, was named player of the tournament. The West Indies toured in October, but after scoring just two runs in as many matches in the ODI series against them, Ashraful was dropped from the Test squad.
Ashraful captained Bangladesh at the 2010 Asian Games
2010 Asian Games
The 2010 Asian Games, also known as the XVI Asiad, was a multi-sport event celebrated in Guangzhou, China from November 12 to November 27, 2010. Guangzhou was the second Chinese city to host the Games, after Beijing in 1990...
in late November. They played Afghanistan in the final; Bangladesh won by five wickets, securing the country's first gold medal at the Asian Games. Shortly after wining the tournament, Ashraful was recalled to Bangladesh's full squad for the five-match ODI series against Zimbabwe
Zimbabwean cricket team in Bangladesh in 2010–11
The Zimbabwe national cricket team is touring Bangladesh, playing 5 ODI matches from 1 December to 12 December 2010.-Tour Match:-1st ODI:-2nd ODI:-3rd ODI:-4th ODI:-5th ODI:...
in December. Though they lost the first match, Bangladesh went on to win the next three completed, with one called off due to rain, to beat Zimbabwe 3–1. Ashraful played one match, scoring six runs. He was included in Bangladesh's 15-man squad for the 2011 World Cup. From three matches Ashraful managed 18 runs and was dropped from the squad for the three-match ODI series against Australia that followed.
In April he captained Bangladesh A on a tour of South Africa and his performances, including striking a one-day century, earned him a recall to the senior squad to face Zimbabwe in August. In the one-off Test, Ashraful scored the most runs for his team with an aggregate of 112, including a half-century as Bangladesh succumbed to defeat. Bangladesh lost the following ODI series against Zimbabwe 3–2. Bangladesh's batsmen struggled early in the series, and Ashraful scored 23 runs from three matches. For the 2011/12 season, the National Cricket League of Bangladesh was expanded from six first-class teams to eight. Dhaka Metropolis and Rangpur Division
Rangpur Division cricket team
The Rangpur Division cricket team is a first-class cricket team representing the Rangpur Division region in Bangladesh.-External links:* *...
were the new teams, with Ashraful captaining the former. Though he scored his first first-class century in over a year in the competition, Ashraful was dropped from the ODI squad to face Pakistan in December
Pakistani cricket team in Bangladesh in 2011–12
The Pakistani cricket team are scheduled tour Bangladesh from 29 November to 21 December 2011. The tour is scheduled to consist of one Twenty20 , three One Day Internationals and two Tests matches.-Squads:-Only T20I:-1st ODI:-2nd ODI:...
.
Career statistics
| No. | Score | Balls | Opponent | Innings | Test | Venue | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| [1] | 114 | 212 | Sri Lanka | 3rd | 2nd | Bangabandhu National Stadium Bangabandhu National Stadium Bangabandhu National Stadium, also known as Dhaka Stadium, and formerly known as Dacca Stadium is the national stadium and a multipurpose sports arena in Dhaka, Bangladesh. It is located in the Motijheel area in the heart of the city... , Dhaka Dhaka Dhaka is the capital of Bangladesh and the principal city of Dhaka Division. Dhaka is a megacity and one of the major cities of South Asia. Located on the banks of the Buriganga River, Dhaka, along with its metropolitan area, had a population of over 15 million in 2010, making it the largest city... |
8 September 2001 |
| [2] | 158* Not out In cricket, a batsman will be not out if he comes out to bat in an innings and has not been dismissed by the end of the innings. One may similarly describe a batsman as not out while the innings is still in progress... |
194 | India | 2nd | 2nd | MA Aziz Stadium MA Aziz Stadium MA Aziz Stadium is the main stadium in use in Chittagong, Bangladesh. The local cricket and football teams play there. Its total capacity is 20,000. On a historical note, this stadium was used as headquarters during the war for independence in 1971... , Chittagong Chittagong Chittagong ) is a city in southeastern Bangladesh and the capital of an eponymous district and division. Built on the banks of the Karnaphuli River, the city is home to Bangladesh's busiest seaport and has a population of over 4.5 million, making it the second largest city in the country.A trading... |
19 December 2004 |
| [3] | 136 | 184 | Sri Lanka | 1st | 1st | Bir Shrestha Shahid Ruhul Amin Stadium, Chittagong Chittagong Chittagong ) is a city in southeastern Bangladesh and the capital of an eponymous district and division. Built on the banks of the Karnaphuli River, the city is home to Bangladesh's busiest seaport and has a population of over 4.5 million, making it the second largest city in the country.A trading... |
28 February 2006 |
| [4] | 129* Not out In cricket, a batsman will be not out if he comes out to bat in an innings and has not been dismissed by the end of the innings. One may similarly describe a batsman as not out while the innings is still in progress... |
236 | Sri Lanka | 3rd | 2nd | P. Saravanamuttu Stadium, Colombo Colombo Colombo is the largest city of Sri Lanka. It is located on the west coast of the island and adjacent to Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte, the capital of Sri Lanka. Colombo is often referred to as the capital of the country, since Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte is a satellite city of Colombo... |
5 July 2007 |
| [5] | 101 | 193 | Sri Lanka | 4th | 1st | Sher-e-Bangla Cricket Stadium, Dhaka Dhaka Dhaka is the capital of Bangladesh and the principal city of Dhaka Division. Dhaka is a megacity and one of the major cities of South Asia. Located on the banks of the Buriganga River, Dhaka, along with its metropolitan area, had a population of over 15 million in 2010, making it the largest city... |
31 December 2008 |
ODI centuries
| No. | Score | Balls | Opponent | Innings | ODI | Venue | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| [1] | 100 | 101 | Australia | 2nd | 2nd | Bangabandhu National Stadium Bangabandhu National Stadium Bangabandhu National Stadium, also known as Dhaka Stadium, and formerly known as Dacca Stadium is the national stadium and a multipurpose sports arena in Dhaka, Bangladesh. It is located in the Motijheel area in the heart of the city... , Dhaka Dhaka Dhaka is the capital of Bangladesh and the principal city of Dhaka Division. Dhaka is a megacity and one of the major cities of South Asia. Located on the banks of the Buriganga River, Dhaka, along with its metropolitan area, had a population of over 15 million in 2010, making it the largest city... |
18 June 2005 |
| [2] | 109 | 126 | United Arab Emirates | 1st | 1st | Gaddafi Stadium Gaddafi Stadium Gaddafi Stadium is a cricket ground in Lahore, Pakistan. It was designed by Daghestani-born architect and engineer Nasreddin Murat-Khan who also designed Lahore's Minar-e-Pakistan and constructed by Mian Abdul Khaliq and Company in 1959. Following the ground's renovation for the 1996 Cricket World... , Lahore Lahore Lahore is the capital of the Pakistani province of Punjab and the second largest city in the country. With a rich and fabulous history dating back to over a thousand years ago, Lahore is no doubt Pakistan's cultural capital. One of the most densely populated cities in the world, Lahore remains a... |
24 June 2008 |
| [3] | 103 | 103 | Zimbabwe | 1st | 1st | Queens Sports Club Queens Sports Club Queens Sports Club is a multi-purpose stadium in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe. It is used mostly for cricket matches. The stadium holds 13,000. The club is one of two homegrounds for the Matabeleland Cricket Team, which up until recently was captained by the Zimbabwean international opening pace bowler... , Bulawayo Bulawayo Bulawayo is the second largest city in Zimbabwe after the capital Harare, with an estimated population in 2010 of 2,000,000. It is located in Matabeleland, 439 km southwest of Harare, and is now treated as a separate provincial area from Matabeleland... |
9 August 2009 |