Manjural Islam Rana (4 May 1984 – 16 March 2007), also known as Qazi Manjural Islam, was a Bangladeshi cricketer who played six Tests and 25 One Day Internationals for Bangladesh. Born in Khulna, he was a slow left-arm orthodox spin bowler. He played for Khulna Division at domestic level and made his One Day International (ODI) debut in November 2003 against England. Three months later, Rana played his first Test against Zimbabwe. On 16 March 2007, he died of severe head injuries sustained in a road traffic accident at the age of 22.[1]

Manjural Islam Rana
Personal information
Full name
Qazi Manjural Islam
Born(1984-05-04)4 May 1984
Mujgunni, Khulna, Bangladesh
Died16 March 2007(2007-03-16) (aged 22)
Kartikdanga, Khulna, Bangladesh
NicknameRana
BattingLeft-handed
BowlingLeft-arm orthodox spin
International information
National side
Test debut (cap 35)19 February 2004 v Zimbabwe
Last Test20 December 2004 v India
ODI debut (cap 69)7 November 2003 v England
Last ODI25 March 2006 v Kenya
ODI shirt no.96
Domestic team information
YearsTeam
2000/01–2006/07Khulna Division
Career statistics
Competition Test ODI FC LA
Matches 6 25 46 65
Runs scored 257 331 2,466 869
Batting average 25.70 20.68 36.26 19.75
100s/50s 0/1 0/1 4/8 0/3
Top score 69 63 151 76*
Balls bowled 749 996 8,164 2,944
Wickets 5 23 127 85
Bowling average 80.20 29.95 25.97 21.72
5 wickets in innings 0 0 7 0
10 wickets in match 0 0 1 0
Best bowling 3/84 4/34 7/82 4/9
Catches/stumpings 3/– 6/– 32/– 21/–
Source: Cricinfo, 16 March 2007

Cricket career

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Early career

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Rana made his first-class debut on 22 November 2000, playing for Khulna Division against Barisal Division. His first wicket was that of Towhid Hossain, bowled, but he did not bat in the match.[2] In his next first-class match, against Dhaka Metropolis for Khulna, Rana batted for the first time; he scored 8 and 18 not out. In the match, 19 other players made their first-class debut[3] as this was the first match for both Khulna and Dhaka in Bangladesh's new National Cricket League.[4] Rana made his one-day debut the same month; on 25 November 2000, he played for Khulna against Barisal Division. He scored 22 runs in the match and took three wickets for 20 runs.[5] Once again, Rana was one of 20 people to debut in the match in the new Ispahani Mirzapore Tea One-Day League.[4] In his first season with Khulna, Rana played 10 first-class matches, scoring 299 runs at 24.91[6] and taking 35 wickets at 20.14.[7] He also played the same number of one-day matches, scoring 70 runs at 11.66[8] and taking 10 wickets at 26.00.[9]

In the 2001–02 season, Rana played just two first-class and two one-day matches, with little success compared to the previous year.[6][8] He experienced more success in 2002–03, playing in six first-class and one-day matches respectively. Rana scored 390 runs at 48.75 in the former, including four half-centuries.[6] He took 27 wickets at 20.00 with the ball[7] and in the latter one-day matches, Rana scored 28 runs at 5.60[8] and took 18 wickets at 9.55.[9] During the 2003 English cricket season, he represented the Old Mid-Whitgiftians in the Surrey Championship.[10] Rana was chosen to be part of the Bangladesh A squad that toured Pakistan in 2003–04.

International breakthrough

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Between 30 January 2003 and 8 February 2005, Rana played no domestic cricket.[11][12] Rana made his ODI debut against England in Chittagong on 7 November 2003, in the first match of a three-match ODI series.[13] Filling in for fellow spinner Mohammad Rafique, he dismissed Michael Vaughan with just his third ball of the match and became the first Bangladeshi to take a wicket in his first international over.[14] Rana played in all three matches as Bangladesh lost the series 3–0; the wicket in his first over of international cricket was his only one of the series and he scored 46 runs at an average of 23.00.[15]

In December 2003, Rana was part of the Bangladesh A squad that toured in Pakistan, playing in both the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Patron's Cup and the PCB Patron's Trophy.[11][12] Rana made his Test debut on 19 February 2004, playing against Zimbabwe as part of Bangladesh's tour of the country. He bowled 20.2 overs in the match, taking two wickets for 66 runs. His first Test wicket was that of Sean Ervine, caught by Tapash Baisya. Rana batted twice in the match, making scores of 35 not out and 32.[16] Bangladesh lost the match by 183 runs and Rana stayed in the team for the second match. He batted once, scoring 39 and bowled just six overs in a match curtailed by the weather. The result of the Test was a draw, ensuring Bangladesh lost the series 1–0 to Zimbabwe.[17] Rana finished the series as Bangladesh's leading batsman, with the most runs (105) and the highest batting average (52.50) for the team.[18]

In April 2004, Rana was given a "rookie contract" with the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB); the six-month contract provided him with a basic salary, lower than that of senior players.[19] When Bangladesh toured the West Indies in May–June 2004, he took 3/21 in 10 overs in an ODI in Kingstown, Saint Vincent. In the match, Rana opened the batting and ran out the West Indian wicket-keeper Ridley Jacobs as Bangladesh lost by one wicket.[20] He played in all the matches of the three-match series and topped the batting averages for Bangladesh, with 40 runs at an average of 40.00.[21] He also took five wickets at 14.00, putting him second in Bangladesh's bowling averages.[22] On the same tour, Rana played his third Test match for Bangladesh. In the match, which the West Indies won by an innings and 99 runs, Rana made scores of 7 and 35, taking no wickets while conceding 100 runs.[23]

Dropped from the Test team

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When Zimbabwe toured Bangladesh in January 2005, Rana was twice man of the match in the ODI series.[24] In the fourth match of the series, he took his career-best figures of 4/34.[25] He played in four matches of the five match series, scoring 37 runs at 18.50[26] and taking 9 wickets at 15.22, finishing as Bangladesh's lead wicket-taker for the series.[27]

Although he would later represent Khulna in first-class matches, Rana's last one-day match for them was on 9 March 2006.[12]

Return to domestic cricket

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After playing his last ODI in March 2006, Rana played four more one-day matches, all for Bangladesh A.[12] At the same time, he continued to represent Khulna Division in first-class cricket. In the Bangladesh 2006–07 cricket season, Rana played 10 first-class matches, in which he scored 571 runs at 35.68, made two centuries and took 34 wickets at 18.85.[6][7] The 10 first-class matches included one fixture in which he represented Bangladesh A against Zimbabwe A. The last match Rana played was a first-class match against Dhaka Division.[11] He captained his side in the match, which Khulna lost, although he took 9 wickets in the match.[28]

Death

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Two months before his death, Rana was involved in a motorcycle crash from which he emerged unharmed.[29] Aged 22, Rana died in an accident on 16 March 2007 in Dumuria Upazila, Khulna,[30] while the Bangladesh cricket team were in the Caribbean for the 2007 Cricket World Cup.[31] The accident happened when his motorcycle collided with a microbus and then hit an electrical pole at the side of the road.[32] Sajjadul Hasan, who was a cricketer for Khulna Division, was also killed in the accident. The then Bangladesh captain, Habibul Bashar, said "It's shocking news for all of us, he was a friend and a team-mate. The boys are very upset."[33]

Prior to their first World Cup match, the Bangladesh team declared that they would play in memory of Rana and held a one-minute silence in his memory before the start of play.[34] They wore black arm bands during the match,[35] in which they picked up an unexpected five-wicket victory over India.[36] Bangladesh captain Habibul Bashar dedicated the win to Rana. At the end of the match he walked around the ground, holding a picture of Rana and acknowledged the Bangladeshi spectators. Rana's death at the age of 22 years, 316 days makes him the youngest ever Test cricketer to die.[37] Additionally, he and Bashar formerly held the record for the highest fourth-wicket partnership for Bangladesh in Tests when on 4 June 2004, they posted a 120-run stand against the West Indies cricket team.[38]

In 2009, the BCB set up a welfare trust for current and former players, as well as staff and officials associated with it. As part of the scheme, all the proceeds from the ticket sales for the first ODI between Bangladesh and Zimbabwe in 2009 were given to Rana's family.[39]

On 4 May 2021, Bangladesh Cricket Board received backlash and criticism for its bizarre tweet by mentioning Manjural Islam Rana as the youngest ever Test cricketer to die at the age of 22 on his birthday anniversary.[40]

References

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  1. ^ "Remembering Manzarul Islam". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 4 May 2021.
  2. ^ "f45157 Khulna Division v Barisal Division: Green Delta National Cricket League 2000/01 (Group B)", CricketArchive.com, retrieved 12 January 2009
  3. ^ "f45185 Dhaka Metropolis v Khulna Division: Green Delta National Cricket League 2000/01 (Group B)", CricketArchive.com, retrieved 12 January 2009
  4. ^ a b Martin Williamson, "A brief history of Bangladesh domestic cricket", ESPNcricinfo, retrieved 12 January 2009
  5. ^ "a13092 Khulna Division v Barisal Division: Green Delta National Cricket League 2000/01 (Group B)", CricketArchive.com, retrieved 12 January 2009
  6. ^ a b c d "First-class Batting and fielding in each season by Manjural Islam", CricketArchive.com, retrieved 18 January 2009
  7. ^ a b c "First-class bowling and fielding in each season by Manjural Islam", CricketArchive.com, retrieved 18 January 2009
  8. ^ a b c "ListA Batting and fielding in each season by Manjural Islam", CricketArchive.com, retrieved 18 January 2009
  9. ^ a b "ListA bowling and fielding in each season by Manjural Islam", CricketArchive.com, retrieved 18 January 2009
  10. ^ "Butcher cuts through Cranleigh's batsmen", Croydon Guardian, 13 August 2003, retrieved 18 January 2009
  11. ^ a b c "First-Class Matches played by Manjural Islam (47)", CricketArchive.com, retrieved 9 February 2009
  12. ^ a b c d "List A Matches played by Manjural Islam (65)", CricketArchive.com, retrieved 9 February 2009
  13. ^ "a15424 o2057: Bangladesh v England: England in Bangladesh 2003/04 (1st ODI)", CricketArchive.com, retrieved 9 February 2009
  14. ^ "Manjural Islam Rana player profile", ESPNcricinfo, retrieved 9 February 2009
  15. ^ "England in Bangladesh, 2003–04 One-Day Series Averages", ESPNcricinfo, retrieved 9 February 2009
  16. ^ "f47568 t1683 Zimbabwe v Bangladesh: Bangladesh in Zimbabwe 2003/04 (1st Test)", CricketArchive.com, retrieved 11 January 2009
  17. ^ "f47586 t1684 Zimbabwe v Bangladesh: Bangladesh in Zimbabwe 2003/04 (2nd Test)", CricketArchive.com, retrieved 11 January 2009
  18. ^ "Bangladesh in Zimbabwe, 2003–04 Test Series Averages", ESPNcricinfo, retrieved 11 January 2009
  19. ^ "Youthful pair given 'rookie' contracts", ESPNcricinfo, retrieved 12 January 2009
  20. ^ "a15881 o2128 West Indies v Bangladesh: Bangladesh in West Indies 2004 (1st ODI)", CricketArchive.com, retrieved 14 February 2009
  21. ^ "ODI Batting and Fielding for Bangladesh, Bangladesh in West Indies 2004", CricketArchive.com, retrieved 14 February 2009
  22. ^ "ODI bowling for Bangladesh, Bangladesh in West Indies 2004", CricketArchive.com, retrieved 14 February 2009
  23. ^ "f47771 t1703 West Indies v Bangladesh: Bangladesh in West Indies 2004 (2nd Test)", CricketArchive.com, retrieved 14 January 2009
  24. ^ "Matches in which Manjural Islam won an award (10)", CricketArchive.com, retrieved 11 January 2009
  25. ^ "a16403 o2212 Bangladesh v Zimbabwe: Zimbabwe in Bangladesh 2004/05 (3rd ODI)", CricketArchive.com, retrieved 14 February 2009
  26. ^ "ODI Batting and Fielding for Bangladesh, Zimbabwe in Bangladesh 2004/05", CricketArchive.com, retrieved 14 February 2009
  27. ^ "ODI Bowling for Bangladesh, Zimbabwe in Bangladesh 2004/05", CricketArchive.com, retrieved 14 February 2009
  28. ^ "f49760 Dhaka Division v Khulna Division: Ispahani Mirzapore Tea National Cricket League 2006/07", CricketArchive.com, retrieved 14 February 2009
  29. ^ "Wisden Cricketers' Almanack 2008 – Obituaries index: N-S", ESPNcricinfo, 2008, retrieved 7 February 2009
  30. ^ ডেস্ক, খেলা. "মানজারুলদের মৃত্যু আকুতি জাগায় নিরাপদ সড়কের". Prothomalo (in Bengali). Retrieved 16 March 2022.
  31. ^ "Manzarul Islam becomes youngest Test cricketer to die". Cricket Country. 16 March 2014. Retrieved 4 May 2021.
  32. ^ "Two Bangladesh cricketers killed in road accident", cricbuzz, 16 March 2007, retrieved 4 December 2014
  33. ^ Bangladesh's Manjural Islam killed in road accident, 16 March 2007, retrieved 11 January 2009
  34. ^ Bangladesh teenagers send India crashing, Australian Broadcasting Corporation, 18 March 2007, retrieved 11 January 2009
  35. ^ Siddhartha Vaidyanathan (16 March 2007), "India wary of banana skins on batting track", ESPNcricinfo, retrieved 11 January 2009
  36. ^ Siddhartha Vaidyanathan (17 March 2007), "Brilliant Bangladesh stun India", ESPNcricinfo, retrieved 11 January 2009
  37. ^ "Test matches: Shortest lived players", ESPNcricinfo, archived from the original on 20 March 2007, retrieved 11 January 2009
  38. ^ "Highest partnerships by wicket: Bangladesh – Test matches", ESPNcricinfo, retrieved 13 January 2009
  39. ^ "Ashraful to continue as Bangladesh captain", ESPNcricinfo, 8 February 2009, retrieved 9 February 2009
  40. ^ "BCB wishes Late Manzarul Islam Rana in a bizarre way; Ravi Ashwin reacts". CricTracker. 4 May 2021. Retrieved 4 May 2021.
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