Mustafiz signs for Sussex Cricket

Bangladesh’s left-arm medium fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman signs with Sussex Cricket and he will be arriving at Hove for the 2016 NatWest T20 Blast competition.

Sussex Cricket published this information through their website on Wednesday.

20 year-old starlet Mustafizur will become the first ever Bangladeshi international to play for Sussex, and the left-armer has burst on to the international scene over the past few seasons, first catching the attention of the Bangladesh selectors as he starred at the Under-19 World Cup in 2014.

His full Test bow soon followed in 2015 as he took 4 for 37 on debut against South Africa, dismissing the likes of Hashim Amla in Chittagong.

He made his ODI debut against India in Dhaka last summer and became only the tenth bowler in the history of the game to take a five-wicket haul on debut, having bowled his side to a famous victory.

His best ODI haul of 6 for 43 came in the next match against India, and currently has 26 wickets at an average of 12.34.

Mustafizur has also featured eight times for his country in international T20 cricket, and is set to feature in this season’s IPL for the Sunrisers Hyderabad as one of their seven overseas players.

He is available for the whole of the Sharks’ NatWest T20 Blast campaign, subject to Sunrisers’ IPL progress, and with fellow overseas signing Ross Taylor ending his stint with Sussex in late July; Mustafizur will remain in Hove for around another month, with him set to feature in the Royal London One-Day Cup.

Mustafizur said of his move to Sussex, “I am very excited to get an opportunity in county cricket. It has always been an ambition of mine to play in England and I am thankful to Sussex for this opportunity. I hope I can repay the faith they have shown in me with my performances on the field.”

Sussex’s Head Coach Mark Davis said, “I am really excited to have Mustafizur join us at Sussex Cricket. He is a cricketer with incredible ability and is currently one of the bright young talents of world cricket.

“His unorthodox bowling variations make him a very difficult customer to bat against, and he will be a brilliant addition to our team.”