Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) on Thursday commemorated the 25th anniversary of the country's elevation to Test status with a nostalgic and celebratory event at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur.
The gathering brought together members of Bangladesh’s inaugural Test team; who took the field against India in November 2000, alongside cricketing dignitaries, officials and media personnel.
The event served as a heartfelt reunion for many of the early trailblazers of Bangladesh cricket, rekindling friendships and memories from their historic journey.
Cameras flashed as the stars of Bangladesh's first Test match took center stage, their presence stirring emotion among attendees. For a team that has won just 23 of 154 Test matches played since 2000, the mood was less about numbers and more about celebrating the spirit and journey of Bangladesh cricket.
Despite the modest win tally, sports advisor and event guest Asif Mahmud Shojib Bhuiyan offered a more encouraging perspective.
“When comparing the first 25 years of all Test-playing nations, Bangladesh ranks fourth,” he said. “We hope to become stronger in the coming years.”
A key highlight of the evening was the presentation of commemorative blazers to members of the 2000 Test squad.
BCB president Aminul Islam Bulbul; who famously scored a century in that inaugural match, joined Asif Mahmud in handing out the blazers. Players also signed a special jersey to mark the occasion and shared memories from their playing days.
Former opener Mehrab Hossain amused the crowd with a humorous anecdote from the early days. “We had special T-shirts we had to wear on the team bus or face a 500 taka fine,” he laughed. “I had given mine away, so I grabbed the coach’s XXL shirt, crossed it out, wrote XL with a pen and wore it instead.” The audience responded with warm laughter.
Sarwar Imran, head coach of 2000 squad, also took the stage to reflect on that historic match. “I still remember the performances of Habibul Bashar, Naimur Rahman Durjoy and Aminul Islam Bulbul,” he recalled.
Habibul scored a half-century, Naimur took six wickets and Aminul etched his name in history with a century. Sarwar cited inexperience as a key reason for the team’s collapse in the second innings, despite scoring 400 runs in the first.
Among those present were Shahriar Hossain, Mohammad Rafique and Hasibul Hossain.
However, notable absentees included the first Test captain Naimur Rahman, Akram Khan and Khaled Masud.
Looking ahead, BCB president Aminul Islam announced plans to establish regional cricket bodies aimed at strengthening grassroots cricket and nurturing young talent.
Additionally, Asif Mahmud revealed an ambitious initiative to install synthetic pitches in 100 schools across the country to improve access to cricket facilities for young players.
To cap off the celebrations, BCB unveiled a new Test cricket honours board near the national team’s dressing room. The board will commemorate every cricketer who has represented Bangladesh in Test matches.
As Bangladesh marks a quarter century on cricket’s most prestigious stage, the evening stood as a tribute not only to the past but also to the promise of a brighter, stronger future in the Test arena.
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