Arafat Bhuiyan (born 11 October 1996) is a Bangladeshi cricketer who plays for Kent County Cricket Club as a bowler. Born in Dhaka on 11 October 1996, he moved to England when he was 14 and signed professional terms with Kent in 2023 after graduating from the South Asian Cricket Academy (SACA).[1]

Arafat Bhuiyan
Personal information
Born(1996-10-11)11 October 1996
Dhaka, Bangladesh
BattingRight-handed
BowlingRight-arm fast-medium
RoleBowler
Domestic team information
YearsTeam
2023–Kent (squad no. 26)
FC debut18 May 2023 Kent v Surrey
Career statistics
Competition First-class
Matches 3
Runs scored 22
Batting average 7.33
100s/50s 0/0
Top score 15*
Balls bowled 375
Wickets 7
Bowling average 37.85
5 wickets in innings 0
10 wickets in match 0
Best bowling 4/65
Catches/stumpings 0/–
Source: Cricinfo, 13 October 2023

Career edit

Arafat Bhuiyan was born at Dhaka in Bangladesh in 1996, but moved to England when he was 14 to play cricket.[2] Starting in 2017, he played for the Second XIs of Surrey, Essex and Derbyshire County Cricket Clubs as well as for Kent.[2][3] He also played for the Marylebone Cricket Club's Young Cricketers. In the winter of 2022, he enrolled in the South Asian Cricket Academy in Birmingham.[3]

For the 2023 season, he was playing club cricket for Blackheath Cricket Club in the Kent Cricket League but also playing for Kent's 2nd XI.[4] On 17 May 2023, he signed his first professional contract with Kent for the rest of the 2023 season.[5] He made his County Championship debut against Surrey at The Oval the next day.[6] On day two of the match, he took the wickets of Ollie Pope, Jamie Smith, Ben Foakes and Will Jacks with bowling figures of 4/65 in his first innings.[7]

Arafat is eligible to play for the Bangladesh national cricket team but also qualifies for the England national cricket team through residency and as a British passport holder.[1][8]

References edit

  1. ^ a b "Arafat Bhuiyan". Kent Cricket. Retrieved 2023-05-20.
  2. ^ a b "Arafat Bhuiyan repays faith to give Kent a lift at Surrey". ESPN. Retrieved 2023-05-20.
  3. ^ a b "Arafat Bhuiyan joins Kent after graduating from SACA programme". ESPN. Retrieved 2023-05-20.
  4. ^ "Bangladesh-born cricketer Arafat Bhuiyan makes dream debut in County Championship". BD Crictime. Retrieved 2023-05-20.
  5. ^ Thomas Reeves (17 May 2023). "Bowler Arafat Bhuiyan signs professional terms with Kent for 2023 season and goes into County Championship Division 1 squad for trip to Surrey". Kent Online. Retrieved 2023-05-20.
  6. ^ "Kent debutant Arafat Bhuiyan takes second chance by knocking over Surrey's England stars". The Telegraph. 19 May 2023. Retrieved 2023-05-20.
  7. ^ "Arafat Bhuiyan takes four wickets on his first-class debut but Kent (278 & 80-4) trail Surrey (362) by four runs after day two of County Championship Division 1 match at The Oval". Kent Online. 19 May 2023. Retrieved 2023-05-20.
  8. ^ "County Championship: Surrey take late wickets to turn tide against Kent". BBC Sport. 19 May 2023. Retrieved 2023-05-20.