Happy birthday Mohammad Rafique: A look back at his best performances for the Tigers

Only five bowlers- Clarrie Grimmett, Dilip Doshi, Bruce Yardley, Ryan Harris and Mohammad Rafique- made their Test debut after turning 30 and took 100 wickets. Among them, only Mohammad Rafique has more than 1000 runs to his name. Rafique is also the first Bangladeshi to achieve the double of 1000 runs and 100 wickets in Tests. The left-arm spinner was one of the most prolific performers during the early days of Bangladesh cricket team as a full ICC member.

On the occasion of his 51st birthday, The Business Standard (TBS) looks back at some of Mohammad Rafique's finest performances for Bangladesh. 

3/56 & 77 vs Kenya, Hyderabad, 1998

Bangladesh needed 237 runs to register their first-ever win in ODIs. Mohammad Rafique, who used to bat lower down the order, was sent to open the innings with Athar Ali Khan. Rafique was given the license of scoring quickly. Athar played second fiddle to Rafique in the match-winning 137-run partnership off 26 overs. Before getting out, Rafique played a sensational knock of 77 off 87 balls with the help of 11 fours and a six. Bangladesh eventually won the match comfortably by six wickets. Rafique also took three wickets in that match and was adjudged player of the match. 

111 vs West Indies, Gros Islet, 2004

Mohammad Rafique scored his maiden Test hundred against West Indies at Gros Islet in the first Test match of the series. His scintillating 152-ball-111 was studded with 11 fours and three sixes. Habibul Bashar and Khaled Mashud also got hundreds in the match. It was also the first time three Bangladeshi batters scored hundred in a Test match. Rafique also bowled well in the first innings with figures 36-12-90-3. Bangladesh went on to draw the Test match. 

69 & 5/65 vs Zimbabwe, Chattogram, 2005

Rafique was one of the key performers for Bangladesh in their maiden win in Tests. In that match against Zimbabwe, Rafique played an enterprising knock of 69 off 98 balls in the first innings and later claimed a five-wicket haul. Rafique didn't get any wicket in the second innings but his spin bowling partner Enamul Haque Jr. ran through the Zimbabwe batting line-up. Bangladesh won by 226 runs 

5/62 & 4/98 vs Australia, Fatullah, 2006

Bangladesh recorded their first Test victory over Australia in 2017. But it could've happened 11 years before that as Bangladesh came extremely close to winning the famous 2006 Fatullah Test. Australia were given a challenging target of 307 runs and were restricted to 231 for six. But Ricky Ponting scored a masterful century to get Australia over the line. Mohammad Rafique was one of the star performers in that match, picking up nine wickets, a five-for in the first innings and a four-wicket haul in the second.

3/35 vs India, Port of Spain, 2007

Everyone remembers Mashrafe Mortaza's magnificent bowling and Tamim Iqbal's iconic six off Zaheer Khan from the 2007 World Cup match against India. But Mohammad Rafique's three wickets in that match were equally vital. He got rid of Rahul Dravid first and then sent back the well-set Sourav Ganguly, the top-scorer for India in that match. Then Rafique got the better of the hard-hitting MS Dhoni as well. Bangladesh started their 2007 World Cup campaign in the best way possible by beating India by five wickets.