Cricket Veteran Imrul Kayes Bids Farewell to Test and First-Class Cricket
Veteran Bangladeshi cricketer Imrul Kayes has announced his retirement from Test and first-class cricket, effective after his final match on November 16th. Imrul, whose storied career was defined by his prolific opening partnership with Tamim Iqbal, played his last of 39 Test matches in 2019.
The 32-year-old batter will continue to feature in white-ball cricket, but his illustrious red-ball journey is now coming to a close. Imrul leaves behind an impressive Test record, having amassed 1797 runs at an average of 24.28, with three centuries and four half-centuries.
Imrul and Tamim Iqbal formed one of Bangladesh’s most successful opening pairs, adding 2336 runs in 53 innings together. Their average partnership of 45.80 is the highest for any Bangladeshi opening duo. The pair recorded four century stands, including a world-record 312-run partnership against Pakistan in 2015, which helped Bangladesh save a Test match after conceding a massive first-innings lead.
As Imrul prepares to bid farewell to the longer format, he will have a final opportunity to reach the 8000-run milestone in first-class cricket when he takes the field for Khulna Division in the upcoming National Cricket League match against Dhaka Division in Dhaka.
Imrul’s retirement marks the end of an era for Bangladeshi cricket, as the fans bid adieu to a player who was integral to the team’s growth and development over the years.
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