Is Mushfiqur Rahim’s 857 in 10 Tests the most for Bangladesh vs Zimbabwe?

Jonhenry Wilson 17 Apr 2025

It’s not one of the most famous or the longest standing of rivalries in the history of Test cricket, but it is an intense and highly competitive one. In all, Bangladesh and Zimbabwe have faced each other in 18 Tests since their first encounter back in April 2001.

During that time, Bangladesh have won eight games and Zimbabwe seven. There have also been three draws.

The rivalry has ebbed and flowed. Zimbabwe dominated the early years, while Bangladesh had a strong grip on the fixture between 2014 and 2021.

Now, as the two sides prepare to face each other in a two-Test series in Bangladesh, with the first game set to start on Sunday 20 May, let’s take a look through the record books to see which players have scored the most runs in encounters between these two relative newcomers to Test cricket.

Here are the seven players who have managed more than 500 Test runs in Bangladesh vs Zimbabwe matches.

7. Tatenda Taibu (Zimbabwe)

529 runs from 5 Tests at an average of 75.57

Tatenda Taibu, Zimbabwe’s diminutive wicketkeeper-batsman and a former captain, had a brief but extraordinarily effective record against Bangladesh. In just five matches, he scored over 500 runs, averaging a staggering 75.57.

His performances included crucial middle-order knocks that often provided Zimbabwe with stability. His consistency and ability to counter Bangladesh’s spin attack made him a key figure in the mid-2000s meetings between the two nations.

Notably, he scored a fluent 153* in Dhaka in 2005 — his highest Test score.

6. Habibul Bashar (Bangladesh)

578 runs from 8 Tests at an average of 38.53

Widely regarded as one of the early pillars of Bangladesh’s batting, Habibul Bashar was instrumental in his nation’s rise in Test cricket. Against Zimbabwe, he was frequently a steadying presence at the top of the order.

While his average of 38.53 might not leap off the page, his contributions came in challenging circumstances, particularly in Bangladesh’s formative Test years. Bashar was part of Bangladesh’s very first win over Zimbabwe in Chattogram in 2005, which saw him contributing vital runs in both innings.

Also read: David Warner and Nathan Lyon don’t make Australia’s best Test XI – 1985-2025

5. Mohammad Mahmudullah (Bangladesh)

615 runs from 8 Tests at an average of 47.30

Mahmudullah, one of Bangladesh’s most dependable middle-order batsmen over the past decade, was often at his best against Zimbabwe. His patient, technically sound style suited the slower surfaces in both countries.

A highlight of his performances against Zimbabwe came in 2018 in Mirpur, where he made a gritty century (101*) in a low-scoring match that helped Bangladesh level the series. His overall consistency in the fixture makes him one of the most successful modern Bangladesh batters against Zimbabwe.

4. Mominul Haque (Bangladesh)

757 runs from 8 Tests at an average of 58.23

Mominul Haque has long been regarded as one of Bangladesh’s most prolific Test batters on home soil, and his record against Zimbabwe only reinforces that. In eight Tests, he scored 757 runs at an impressive average of 58.23.

The hallmark of his success in this fixture has been his ability to compile big innings — he has notched up four centuries against Zimbabwe, including a sublime 161 in Dhaka in 2020. His elegant stroke play and patience made him a repeat thorn in Zimbabwe’s side.

3. Mushfiqur Rahim (Bangladesh)

857 runs from 10 Tests at an average of 57.13

A mainstay of the Bangladesh Test side for more than a decade, Mushfiqur Rahim’s record against Zimbabwe is as reliable as his overall Test career. With over 850 runs from 10 matches, Rahim was involved in many of Bangladesh’s most crucial moments against Zimbabwe.

His partnership-building ability and temperament under pressure have been key assets. One of his best innings came in 2013 in Harare, where he scored a gritty 93 to help Bangladesh to a rare overseas win. Few Bangladesh players have combined consistency and impact as well as Rahim has in this rivalry.

2. Hamilton Masakadza (Zimbabwe)

883 runs from 10 Tests at an average of 46.47

Hamilton Masakadza’s international career spanned over a decade and a half, and he was particularly effective against Bangladesh.

He began his Test journey with a century as a teenager in 2001 against West Indies, but some of his most impactful and consistent batting came against Bangladesh. His ability to grind out long innings made him invaluable at the top of the order.

In Zimbabwe’s 2013 home series win, Masakadza scored two fifties and a century, highlighting his importance in turning the tide in Zimbabwe’s favour. His 83 in Harare that year was instrumental in a low-scoring match that Zimbabwe eventually won.

1. Brendan Taylor (Zimbabwe)

1,239 runs from 12 Tests at an average of 61.95

Top of the pile by a fair margin is Brendan Taylor, who followed on from Andy Flower as Zimbabwe’s premier Test batsman of the modern era. Taylor’s record against Bangladesh is outstanding — he has five centuries in just 12 matches, including a match-winning 171 in Harare in 2013.

Known for his stylish stroke play and ability to dominate spin, Taylor was often the linchpin of Zimbabwe’s batting line-up. Whether in home conditions or away in Dhaka and Chattogram, he delivered repeatedly, often under pressure.

His 1239 runs in this fixture are more than 350 runs clear of the next best, underlining his dominance. In many ways, Taylor defined Zimbabwe’s competitive edge against Bangladesh in the post-2010 era.