Mustafizur Rahman (Bengali: মুস্তাফিজুর রহমান; born 6 September 1995) is a Bangladeshiinternational cricketer. A left-armfast-medium bowler,[1] he is recognized for his most prolific 'slower cutters' all over the world.[2][3][4] He has taken more wickets in the death overs ofTwenty20 Internationals than any other bowler.[5] His career took off during the2015 Bangladesh Premier League when he caught the attention of cricket pundits with his ability to bowl accurate cutters and slower deliveries, earning him the nickname "The Fizz."[6] This talent quickly propelled him to international prominence.
Mustafizur began his international career in a twenty overs match against Pakistan on 24 April 2015, where he took the wickets ofShahid Afridi andMohammad Hafeez, two veteran Pakistanibatsmen.[20]
In June 2015,India toured Bangladesh for one Test and three One Day Internationals. Mustafizur was picked in the ODI squad. In his first match of the series, Mustafizur gave signs of his potential against the strong Indian batting line-up by taking a five-wicket haul off 9.2 overs in the first match.[21][22] Bangladesh won the match and Mustafizur became the tenthbowler in the history of ODIs to take five wickets on debut.[23] In the second ODI, Mustafizur took another six wickets.[24][25] This helped him to earn the record of most wickets of any bowler after two ODIs, surpassing the record previously held by Zimbabwe'sBrian Vitori.[26][27] He completed the last ODI with 2 wickets and made history by taking 13 wickets in a three-match ODI series.[28][29]
Fizz training in 2018
The following month, Mustafizur took 5 wickets in three ODIs to help Bangladesh winthe series against South Africa by 2–1.[30] He made his Test debut in the same series versus South Africa where he picked up 4 wickets.[31][32][33][34]
In the month of November,Bangladesh hosted Zimbabwe for three ODIs and two T20s. Mustafizur played a salient role in the ODI matches, taking a total of 8 wickets.[35] For his performances in 2015, he was named in the World ODI XI by ICC.[36] He was also named in the ODI XI of the year 2015 byESPNcricinfo andCricbuzz.[37] He captured his third five-wicket haul in the last game.[38][39] He could not contribute much in the T20 series, though he bowled economically, which resulted in both sides sharing a win.[40] The next year in January, Bangladesh again played with Zimbabwe in four T20s. Mustafizur played in the first two matches, which they won. While bowling in the second T20I against Zimbabwe in January 2016, Mustafizur injured his shoulder. Following that, he was dropped from the squad for the first time since his debut.[41][42]
During theAsia Cup held in the next month, he was again sidelined from the team due to hisside strain,[43][44] playing only the first three games.[45][46][47][48] He was able to play againstAustralia, India andNew Zealand in the2016 ICC World Twenty20 held in India in March.[49][50][51] He became the first Bangladeshi bowler to grab five wickets in the history ofT20 World Cup after taking five wickets for 22 runs against New Zealand.[52] He took total of 9 wickets in three matches in the2016 edition.[53] He was named as 12th man in the 'Team of the Tournament' for the 2016 T20 World Cup by the ICC.[54]
Mustafizur was again unable to play all matches whenBangladesh toured New Zealand during December 2016 and January 2017.[55] He played his first Test match since August 2015 againstSri Lanka atGalle in March 2017, taking eight wickets in the series.
In April 2018, he was one of the ten cricketers to be awarded a central contract by theBangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) ahead of the 2018 season.[56]
On 29 May 2018, Mustafizur was ruled out of an upcoming three-match T20I series againstAfghanistan due to a toe injury.[57]
In April 2019, he was named inBangladesh's squad for the2019 Cricket World Cup.[58][59] On 5 July 2019, in the match againstPakistan, Mustafizur took his 100th wicket in ODIs.[60] He finished the tournament as the leading wicket-taker for Bangladesh, with twenty dismissals in eight matches.[61] Following the World Cup, theInternational Cricket Council (ICC) named Mustafizur as the rising star of the squad.[62]
On 12 January 2025, he was named in Bangladesh's squad for the2025 ICC Champions Trophy.[65] In May 2025, he was named in Bangladesh's squad for theirtour to the United Arab Emirates.[66] On 17 May 2025, during the 1st T20I, he became the first player to bowl 300 dot balls in death overs in T20I cricket.[67]
In February 2016, Mustafizur was drafted bySunrisers Hyderabad in the2016 IPL auction.[74] He took 17 wickets in 16 matches in the tournament[75] where his team won the title.[76] He was named as "Emerging Player of the Tournament",[77] the first overseas player to receive this award.[78]
In March 2016, English sideSussex announced that they had signed Mustafizur as their second overseas player for theT20 Blast competition.[87]He picked up four wickets while giving away 23 runs in his debut match againstEssex.[88] After another match, he faced a shoulder surgery which sidelined him for six months.[89]
Mustafizur was selected byLahore Qalandars in thePakistan Super League.[90] TheBCB was reluctant to let him play there.[91] However, the issue was resolved when Mustafizur got a shoulder injury in early 2016, thus preventing him from playing in the PSL.[92]
Mustafizur achieved success in the beginning of his international career by bowlingoff cutters, a type of bowling which moves away (from the right-hander) in the off direction, of the pitch.[23][94] Mustafizur stated on a press conference in June 2015 that he first discovered the technique after his fellow cricketer,Anamul Haque insisted him to bowl a slower delivery.[15][16] According to former Indian cricketerManinder Singh, his slower balls are difficult to read.[95]
Mustafizur grew up in the small town ofSatkhira inKhulna, Bangladesh.[19] He is the youngest of Abul Qasem Gazi and Mahmuda Khatun's six children.[96] His father is an enthusiastic fan of cricket.[15] Mustafizur's interest in cricket rose when he started practicing the game at a location that was 40 kilometres (25 mi)away from home every morning, with his brother Mokhlesur Rahman. This affected his education as he occasionally missed school to play cricket.[96]
On 15 March 2019, along with several members of the Bangladesh test team, he was moments from entering the Al Noor mosque inChristchurch, New Zealand, whena terrorist attack began. All members of the team were "deeply affected".[98] Mustafizur went on to get married on 22 March. Mustafizur's brother was hopeful that marriage could help him "overcome the shock" of witnessing the attack in New Zealand.[99]
Ony the third and Second[a] Bangladeshi bowler to bowl 1000 dot balls in T20Is.[100][101]
Most Dot Balls in Death Overs (Overs 16-20) in T20Is - 300,[102] first bowler to get this milestone.[103]
ICC ODI Team of the Year - 2015,[104] the first Bangladeshi cricketer to achieve this and the second[b] to be selected for anyICC team[105]2018, the first Bangladeshi cricketer to achieve this twice and 2021.[106]
TheESPNcricinfo Award for the Best T20 performance of the year -2016, for his maiden T20I five-wicket haul against New Zealand during theWorld T20.[109]
The Best Athlete of the Year Award from the Bangladesh Sports Press Association (BSPA) of the year 2015.[110]
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