Taijul Islam’s Five-Wicket Haul Puts Bangladesh in Control Against Zimbabwe

SYLHET, Bangladesh – Taijul Islam delivered a stellar performance for Bangladesh, taking five wickets on the first day of the Test match against Zimbabwe. His efforts helped restrict the visitors to 227 for 9 at stumps, putting Bangladesh in a commanding position.

On April 28, 2025, Taijul stepped up in a match that offered little help to bowlers early on. After Zimbabwe reached 200 for 4, Taijul’s five-wicket haul sparked a dramatic collapse, showcasing his abilities as one of the country’s leading bowlers with 224 Test wickets to his name.

“Bowling in partnerships is important. Sometimes you will see wickets falling on a flat wicket, sometimes it doesn’t on even good wickets,” Taijul said after the day’s play. “When you create pressure, there’s always a chance of getting wickets.”

Taijul began his day by dismissing Ben Curran in his first over. He then removed Wessly Madhevere with a left-arm spinner’s delivery, before taking two more wickets shortly after with the new ball. His remarkable play was complemented by Nayeem Hasan, who also contributed crucial wickets.

Nayeem, returning to the Test side after a lengthy absence, played a vital role by capturing the wicket of Captain Craig Ervine, which helped put Zimbabwe under pressure. “Nayeem helped the team a lot today. He gave us two important breakthroughs,” Taijul noted.

With Bangladesh currently without their star player Shakib Al Hasan, Taijul’s leadership on the field becomes increasingly significant. As he approaches the record of 246 Test wickets for Bangladesh, he remains humble about his achievements. “Every player dreams of becoming the best of the best. I will try to reach that place,” Taijul expressed.

With Bangladesh in control at the end of Day 1, the team hopes to build on this momentum in the following days.