Bangladesh spinner Taijul Islam has the chance to make history in the first Test against Ireland, which began on Tuesday at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium. With nine wickets in the match, he will draw level with Shakib Al Hasan as Bangladesh’s leading wicket-taker in Test cricket, while ten wickets would see him surpass the all-rounder outright.
Shakib currently tops the list with 246 wickets from 71 Tests. Taijul sits second with 237 wickets in 55 matches, giving him the opportunity to overtake his long-time teammate in fewer games. Given his consistency in red-ball cricket, the 31-year-old left-arm spinner appears poised to reach the milestone soon.
Behind the pair, Mehidy Hasan Miraz ranks third among Bangladesh’s leading Test wicket-takers with 205 wickets in 54 matches. Former spinners Mohammad Rafique and Mashrafe Bin Mortaza follow with 100 and 78 wickets respectively.
