Mashrafe Mortaza

The quintessential country boy, Mashrafe Bin Mortaza epitomised the idea of a cricketer "bursting onto the scene". He first came to attention during an Under-17 regional tournament in 2001, when he bowled fast, hit sixes, and threw himself around the field without a care in the world. Within a year he was in Bangladesh colours, and in his debut series, against Zimbabwe, he startled established batters with his pace - a first for the fledgling Test nation.

That pace, however, came out of a fragile action, and Mashrafe went on to have a cruel history of injury, undergoing more than half a dozen operations on his knees and ankles by the time he was 30. His career became a cycle of spirited comebacks punctuated by long layoffs, every return seeming to rekindle belief among team-mates and fans alike.

At his best, Mashrafe was a genuine match-winner. He set up Bangladesh's famous upset of India at the 2007 ODI World Cup with a searing opening burst, and was central to other landmark wins, including the 2004 victory over India in Dhaka, and a win against Sri Lanka in 2009 where he took three early wickets in a devastating spell. He could swing games with bat in hand too, often dealing lusty blows from down the order.

Mashrafe was appointed captain in 2009 but his tenure seemed cursed as he was injured in his very first Test in charge. In 2014 he was recalled to lead the ODI side, and this time he thrived. With him in charge, Bangladesh defeated India, Pakistan and South Africa in home series in 2015 - a year when they reached their first World Cup quarter-final. They went on to make it to the Champions Trophy semi-final in 2017 and finish runners-up in the 2018 Asia Cup.

Mashrafe's best years as an ODI bowler were 2015 through 2018, when he took 75 wickets. His calm authority and tactical nous steadied the side, and he left office in 2020 as Bangladesh's most successful captain.

As a Test bowler he was much less of a force, playing only until 2009 and finishing with 78 Test wickets at over 41 apiece, in contrast to his 270 in ODIs. Still, his figures, modest by global standards, were hard-won, given his physical struggles, and his team's place in the hierarchy of world cricket. What mattered more was his presence, as Bangladesh's first true fast bowler.

In 2018, Mashrafe entered politics and was elected to parliament from his native Narail, underlining his status as a national figure beyond cricket.