Former Bangladesh spinner Mosharraf Hossain dies, aged 40

Mosharraf played five ODIs for his country, taking four wickets with his best bowling figures being 3 for 24 against Afghanistan

Former Bangladesh spinner Mosharraf Hossain has died aged 40 following a battle with brain cancer.

Mosharraf was diagnosed with the illness in March 2019 but recovered after undergoing treatment. 

The tumour relapsed in November 2020, and it was reported in October 2021 that Mosharraf's health had deteriorated and he had been admitted to the ICU in a Dhaka hospital.

A tweet from Bangladesh Cricket said: "The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) mourns the passing of former Bangladesh National Team player Musharraf Hossain Rubel. The left-arm spinner amassed over 550 wickets across all formats in a career spanning two decades. The BCB extends profound sympathies and condolences."

Mosharraf made his first-class debut while he was a student at Dhaka University in the 2001/02 season and went on to become a major force in the domestic game in Bangladesh.

He is one of only seven players to have scored 3,000 runs and taken 300 wickets in first-class cricket in Bangladesh and was consistently among the leading wicket-takers in the National Cricket League and Dhaka Premier League.

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) mourns the passing of former Bangladesh National Team player Musharraf Hossain Rubel.The left-arm spinner amassed over 550 wickets across all formats in a career spanning two decades. The BCB extends profound sympathies and condolences.#BCB pic.twitter.com/mKJaslFU9q

— Bangladesh Cricket (@BCBtigers) April 19, 2022

In the 2013 Bangladesh Premier League final, Mosharraf was named as player of the match after taking 3 for 26 for the Dhaka Gladiators, helping his side to win the trophy.

He also played five ODIs for his country, taking four wickets with his best bowling figures being 3 for 24 against Afghanistan.

After his international debut in 2008 he had to wait a further eight years for a second call-up which came against Afghanistan in 2016, giving him the record of the longest gap between international appearances for a Bangladeshi cricketer. His final international match came against England in 2016.