Follow UsBangladesh have seen a lot of records getting broken during their home Test series against Ireland. The latest one was credited to Taijul Islam as the left-arm spinner equalled the legendary Shakib Al Hasan as the highest-wicket taker in Tests for Bangladesh.
Playing in the second Test of the two-match series on November 21 (Friday), Taijul took four wickets and took his wickets tally from 242 to 246 to equal Shakib.
The left-arm spinner needed one wicket to get a five-wicket haul as well as to get past Shakib and become the leading wicket-taker in Bangladesh’s Test cricket history before the Irish first innings came to an end.
Taijul, 33, is playing only his 57th Test while Shakib played 71 Tests to take the same number of wickets in his red-ball career. Taijul’s average of 31.14 and strike rate of 61.26 are also the best among all Bangladesh bowlers with at least 50 wickets to their name.
The Natore-born man will have a chance to get over Shakib in the second innings of the match as Bangladesh will look to set a tough target for the Irish side and sweep the home series 2-0, having already won the first Test in Sylhet.
Most Test wickets for Bangladesh
246 - Taijul Islam (101 inns)*
246 - Shakib Al Hasan (121 inns)
209 - Mehidy Hasan Miraz (97 inns)
100 - Mohammad Rafique (48 inns)
78 - Mashrafe Mortaza (51 inns)