Mohammed Rafique (Bengali: েমাহাম্মদ রিফক ) is a Bangladeshi cricketer. He is the leading wicket-taker for Bangladesh in Test matches.
Career
A slow-left-arm orthodox bowler, Rafique was one of the few Bangladeshi players in the ICC bowler rankings' top fifty. He has become a permanent fixture in the national team, and is a household name in Bangladesh. To date he is the only Bangladeshi player to have taken 100 wickets in both Tests and One Day Internationals. He has also achieved the double of 100 wickets and 1000 runs in both formats.
One of the most senior players in the Bangladesh team, Rafique was better known for his abilities in ODIs early in his career. He was nevertheless selected to play in Bangladesh's inaugural Test against India, and showed his promise with three wickets.
Rafique is also known as a handy, hard-hitting lower-order batsman. His 77 versus Kenya in May 1998 at Hyderabad was instrumental in Bangladesh's first ever ODI win against Kenya. With the ball, he took 3/56, and was adjudged the man of the match. He also scored a Test century against the West Indies in Bangladesh's drawn Test [1]. Also he scored 65 against Australia in 2005-6, including six sixes [2]. He was instrumental in steering the Tigers to a series whitewash against the Kenyans, and recorded his best match figures in Tests against Australia in a match they only narrowly lost
Rafique had a successful 2007 World Cup, taking eight wickets and helping Bangladesh to win games against India and South Africa. Rafique has also been honoured for his contribution to the cricket world with squad places in both the World XI for the Super Series against Australia in 2005, and the Asia XI for the exhibition series against Africa XI in 2007.
Rafique announced his international retirement on February 7, 2008.