Shahriar Nafees Ahmed (Bengali: শাহরিয়ার নাফীস আহমেদ; born: 1 May 1985) is a former Bangladeshi cricketer, who played all formats of the game, and was also a former T20I captain for Bangladesh. He made his One Day International (ODI) debut for Bangladesh in 2005 against England, and later the same year played his first Test.

Shahriar Nafees
Personal information
Full name
Shahriar Nafees Ahmed
Born (1985-05-01) 1 May 1985 (age 39)
Dhaka, Bangladesh
BattingLeft-handed
BowlingLeft Arm off-break
RoleTop-order batsman
RelationsIftekhar Nayem (brother)
Faruk Ahmed (cousin)
International information
National side
Test debut (cap 43)12 September 2005 v Sri Lanka
Last Test17 April 2013 v Zimbabwe
ODI debut (cap 77)21 June 2005 v England
Last ODI6 December 2011 v Pakistan
Only T20I (cap 10)28 November 2006 v Zimbabwe
Domestic team information
YearsTeam
2005–presentBarisal Blazers,
2008Dhaka Warriors
2009/10Barisal Blazers
2012Barisal Burners
2013Khulna Royal Bengal
Career statistics
Competition Test ODI FC LA
Matches 24 75 115 165
Runs scored 1,267 2,201 7,715 4,889
Batting average 26.39 31.44 39.16 31.54
100s/50s 1/7 4/13 14/46 8/27
Top score 138 123* 219 147
Balls bowled 96
Wickets 0
Bowling average
5 wickets in innings
10 wickets in match
Best bowling
Catches/stumpings 19/– 13/– 63/– 47/–
Source: ESPNcricinfo, 4 September 2017

In 2008 he joined the Indian Cricket League (ICL) as part of the Dhaka Warriors. The members of the team were given 10-year bans by the Bangladesh Cricket Board which were lifted when they left the league. Nafees has since returned to the national team. Domestically he played for Barisal Division. In February 2021, Nafees announced his retirement from all forms of cricket.[1]

Personal life

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Nafees was born on 1 May 1985 at Combined Military Hospital in Dhaka Cantonment. He is the eldest of three sons of retired army officer Mohiuddin Ahmed and his wife Salma Anjum.[2] He completed his secondary education from St Joseph Higher Secondary School in 2001 and his higher secondary education from Notre Dame College in 2003. Then, he got himself admitted into University of Dhaka in 2003-04 for his bachelor's degree.[3]

At University of Dhaka, Nafees met Ishita Tasmin, whom he married later. Both they have a son and a daughter.[4]

International career

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Nafees first played in the national team in Bangladesh's maiden tour of England (2005). Nafees scored his maiden first-class century, as well as his first in Tests, at Fatullah in April 2006 against Australia. He scored his maiden one-day hundred against Zimbabwe in August 2006. Nafees was the first Bangladeshi batsman to score a century in Champions Trophy history[5] and he held the record for the highest individual score for Bangladesh in Champions Trophy until Tamim Iqbal surpassed his milestone[6]

Nafees was appointed vice-captain for the Champions Trophy in India in October 2006 with the view of grooming a successor for Habibul Bashar. The tournament was a successful one for him as he scored his second ODI century, again Zimbabwe were his opponents. He scored his third century against Zimbabwe again in November. Nafees finished 2006 with over 1,000 ODI runs, becoming the first Bangladeshi to pass the milestone in a calendar year.[7]

Once again available to play for Bangladesh, Nafees returned to the squad for the first time since joining the ICL in preparation for Bangladesh's home series against India in January.[8] Bangladesh lost both Tests,[9] and Nafees played in one, scoring 25 runs.[10] His Test come-back lasted one match and Nafees would have to wait more than 18 months before playing another Test.[11] He made his return in an ODI series against New Zealand in October 2010 in which he scored 35 as Bangladesh won that match and 73 in the next match as Bangladesh once again took a seven-wicket victory. Despite his good performance Nafees was originally selected on the grounds that Tamim Iqbal was injured and eventually made way for him in the series against Zimbabwe and he was placed on standby in case of an injury.[12] In the first two years after his return from the ICL Nafees played just four ODIs.[13]

Included in Bangladesh's squad for the 2011 World Cup,[13] Nafees played in two matches (scoring 42 runs) as the team exited the tournament in the group stage.[14] He was retained in the squad to face Australia in three ODIs immediately after the World Cup finished in April,[15] and struck two half-centuries that cemented his place in the side.[16] Nafees was recalled to the squad to face Zimbabwe in August.[17] In the one-off Test, his first since January 2010,[11] he made scores of 50 and 9 as Bangladesh unexpectedly slid to defeat.[18][19]

After scoring 82 runs including a half-century in the first Test against the West Indies in October,[20] Nafees endured a run of low scores across Tests and ODIs that jeopardised his place in the team. He responded by striking an innings of 97 against Pakistan in the second match of a two-Test series. The 180-run partnership was a landmark in several ways: it was record for Bangladesh's fifth wicket, the first time the team had batted through a whole session without losing a wicket since March 2010,[16] and the team's first century partnership in Tests since June 2010.[21]

Captaincy

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He was the first T20I captain for Bangladesh[22] and also he's the youngest T20I captain for Bangladesh at the age of 21 years and 211 days.[23]

Domestic career

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In June 2008 Nafees joined the unauthorised Indian Cricket League and was given a ten-year ban by the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) however he severed his ties with the league in September 2009 and was therefore available for national selection.

The Bangladesh Cricket Board founded the six-team Bangladesh Premier League in 2012, a twenty20 tournament to be held in February that year. The BCB made Shahriar the 'icon player' for Barisal Burners.[24] Despite his status, Nafees played just five matches, scoring 38 runs.[25]

In the 2nd edition of BPL held in 2013, he joined Khulna Royal Bengals. He was selected as the captain of the team. He scored the maiden century in BPL 2. Before him, no other Bangladeshi player scored a century in the history of BPL.

He was the leading run-scorer for Agrani Bank Cricket Club in the 2017–18 Dhaka Premier Division Cricket League, with 550 runs in 13 matches.[26]

Retirement and aftermath

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On 13 February 2021, Nafees along with Abdur Razzak, announced his retirement from all forms of cricket. Soon after his retirement, he was offered a position in the cricket operations department of Bangladesh Cricket Board.[27]

After his retirement form cricket he joined a faculty of University of Scholars.

International Centuries

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Key

Test centuries by Shahriar Nafees[28]
No. Runs Against Pos. Inn. Test Venue H/A Date Result Ref
1 138   Australia 2 1 1/2 Khan Shaheb Osman Ali Stadium, Fatullah Home 9 April 2006 Lost [29]
ODI centuries by Shahriar Nafees[30]
No. Runs Against Pos. Inn. Venue H/A/N Date Result Ref
1 118* †   Zimbabwe 2 2 Harare Sports Club, Harare Away 6 August 2006 Won [31]
2 123* †   Zimbabwe 2 1 Sawai Mansingh Stadium, Jaipur Neutral 13 October 2006 Won [32]
3 105* †   Zimbabwe 1 2 Sheikh Abu Naser Stadium, Khulna Home 30 November 2006 Won [33]
4 104* †   Bermuda 2 2 Antigua Recreation Ground, St. John's Neutral 25 February 2007 Won [34]

Awards

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References

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  1. ^ "Shahriar Nafees and Abdur Razzak announce retirements, will take up posts with BCB". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 13 February 2021.
  2. ^ তিন ভাইয়ের খেলা-পড়ার জগৎ. Prothom Alo (in Bengali). 15 September 2019. Retrieved 4 August 2020.
  3. ^ ক্রিকেটের বাইরে শাহরিয়ার নাফীস. banglanews24.com (in Bengali). 13 June 2012. Retrieved 4 August 2020.
  4. ^ বাবা হলেন নাফিস. The Daily Inqilab (in Bengali). Retrieved 4 August 2020.
  5. ^ "Teams with most number of centuries in the Champions Trophy". 25 May 2017. Retrieved 2 June 2017.
  6. ^ "Highlights ICC Champions Trophy 2017, England vs Bangladesh, cricket score and updates: Hosts win by 8 wickets". Firstpost. 1 June 2017. Retrieved 2 June 2017.
  7. ^ "Tigers scotch Scots as Mashrafee becomes year's top wicket-taker". bdnews24.com. 15 December 2006. Archived from the original on 7 July 2011. Retrieved 24 February 2011.
  8. ^ Shafiul Islam included for India Tests, ESPNcricinfo, 11 January 2010, retrieved 17 December 2011
  9. ^ Premachandran, Dileep (27 January 2010), Zaheer burst sets up 2–0 victory, ESPNcricinfo, retrieved 17 December 2011
  10. ^ Records / India in Bangladesh Test Series, 2009/10 / Most runs, ESPNcricinfo, retrieved 17 December 2011
  11. ^ a b Test matches played by Shahriar Nafees, Shahriar Nafees, retrieved 17 December 2011
  12. ^ Nafees out for Iqbal as Shakib is retained as captain for Zimbabwe series, ESPNcricinfo, 28 November 2010, retrieved 28 November 2010
  13. ^ a b 'Reaching quarters not difficult' – Shakib, ESPNcricinfo, 8 February 2011, retrieved 17 December 2011
  14. ^ Batting and fielding in ICC World Cup 2010/11 (ordered by runs), CricketArchive, retrieved 17 December 2011
  15. ^ Mortaza returns, Ashraful axed for Australia ODIs, ESPNcricinfo, 28 March 2011, retrieved 17 December 2011
  16. ^ a b Isam, Mohammad (17 December 2011), Nafees responds to pressure, ESPNcricinfo, retrieved 17 December 2011
  17. ^ Uncapped Nasir, Shuvagoto in squad for Zimbabwe, ESPNcricinfo, 15 July 2011, retrieved 17 December 2011
  18. ^ Bangladesh in Zimbabwe Test Match: Zimbabwe v Bangladesh, ESPNcricinfo, retrieved 9 August 2011
  19. ^ Bangladesh board to evaluate loss in Zimbabwe, ESPNcricinfo, 30 August 2011, retrieved 17 December 2011
  20. ^ f53438 t2010 Bangladesh v West Indies: West Indies in Bangladesh 2011/12 (1st Test), CricketArchvie, retrieved 17 December 2011
  21. ^ Purohit, Abhishek (17 December 2011), "Shakib, Nafees rescue Bangladesh", espncricinfo.com, ESPNcricinfo, retrieved 17 December 2011
  22. ^ "Cricket Records | Records | Bangladesh | Twenty20 Internationals | List of captains | ESPNcricinfo". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 30 March 2017.
  23. ^ "Records | Twenty20 Internationals | Individual records (captains, players, umpires) | Youngest captains | ESPNcricinfo". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 30 March 2017.
  24. ^ Engineer, Tariq (28 December 2011), Bangladesh Premier League to begin on February 9, ESPNcricinfo, retrieved 5 March 2012
  25. ^ Bangladesh Premier League, 2011/12 / Records / Most runs, ESPNcricinfo, retrieved 6 March 2012
  26. ^ "Dhaka Premier Division Cricket League, 2017/18: Agrani Bank Cricket Club". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 5 April 2018.
  27. ^ "Abdur Razzak to join Bangladesh Cricket Board national selection panel". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 23 February 2021.
  28. ^ "List of Test cricket centuries by Shahriar Nafees". Cricinfo. Retrieved 10 December 2024.
  29. ^ "BAN vs AUS Cricket Scorecard, 1st Test at Fatullah, April 09 - 13, 2006". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 10 December 2024.
  30. ^ "List of ODI cricket centuries by Shahriar Nafees". Cricinfo. Retrieved 10 December 2024.
  31. ^ "ZIM vs BAN Cricket Scorecard, 5th ODI at Harare, August 06, 2006". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 10 December 2024.
  32. ^ "BAN vs ZIM Cricket Scorecard, 5th Qualifying Match at Jaipur, October 13, 2006". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 10 December 2024.
  33. ^ "BAN vs ZIM Cricket Scorecard, 1st ODI at Khulna, November 30, 2006". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 10 December 2024.
  34. ^ "BAN vs BER Cricket Scorecard, 1st Match at St John's, February 25, 2007". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 10 December 2024.
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