Bangladesh cricketer Shoriful Islam created history during the 2nd Test between Bangladesh and Australia at the Great Barrier Reef Arena in Mackay, despite the Asian country suffering a humiliating defeat by an innings and 51 runs as the Pat Cummins-led side managed to level the series, which finished 1-1 after the Najmul Hossain Shanto-led side’s historic victory in the series opener at Darwin.
Islam put up a heroic performance in what was one of the shortest Test matches in history, as it finished in two days after only 750 balls were bowled. The left-arm pacer ran through Australia’s batting unit as the hosts were bowled out for 210. The 25-year-old took a seven-wicket haul and finished with figures of 7-47.
Shoriful Isman Creates History
Shoriful has become the first left-arm pacer in 143 years from a visiting team to take a seven-wicket haul against Australia. The last player to achieve this feat was England’s Dick Barlow in 1883 at the Sydney Cricket Ground.
Visiting Left-Arm Pacer To Take Seven-Wicket Haul vs Australia in Australia
| Player | Figures | Team | Ground | Year |
| Tom Emmett | 7-68 | England | Melbourne | 1879 |
| Dick Barlow | 7-40 | England | Sydney | 1883 |
| Shoriful Islam | 7-48 | Bangladesh | Mackay | 2026 |
Meanwhile, this is also the last instance of a left-arm pacer taking a seven-for against Australia in Test cricket: Barlow in 1886 at Manchester when he took figures of 7-44. Meanwhile, the last left-arm spin bowler to take seven wickets in an innings against Australia in Australia was England’s Derek Underwood in 1975.
Shoriful’s bowling figures are also the best by a visiting bowler (of any kind) since English pacer John Snow’s 7-40 at Sydney in 1971.
Shoriful also registered the best figures by a Bangladeshi pacer in Test cricket history. In fact, he is the first pacer from his country to take a seven-for in an innings in the longest format of the game. The record previously belonged to Shahbat Hossain, who set it 18 years ago. The right-arm pacer registered incredible figures of 6-27 against South Africa in 2008 at the Sher-E-Bangla Stadium in Mirpur. Meanwhile, Edabot Hossain held the record for the best figures away from home for a Bangladesh pacer after taking a 6-46 against New Zealand during the Tigers’ eight-wicket win at Mount Maunganui in 2022, which was not just their win in Test cricket in a SENA nation.
Unique Batting Record
In the first innings of the game, Bangladesh was bowled out for 64, but Shoriful scored 13 runs and finished as the top scorer. This marked only the 13th instance in Test cricket’s 149-year history that a number 11 batter has finished as the team’s leading run-getter in an innings. He is the first player to achieve the feat against Australia and the second for Bangladesh after Talha Jubair (31 vs India in 2004 at Chattogram). In fact, his tally of 14 is the joint-lowest top score in a Test innings when a number 11 batter made the most runs alongside Nathan Lyon when Australia were famously bowled for 47 against South Africa at Cape Town in 2011.