Imrul Kayes

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Imrul Kayes, born on February 2, 1987, in Meherpur, Bangladesh, is a former Bangladeshi cricketer best known as a left‑handed opening batsman who sometimes kept wicket. He played for Bangladesh from 2008 to 2019.

Kayes made his Test debut in November 2008 against South Africa, opening the batting. He started his One Day International career in October 2008 against New Zealand and later wore the national team’s colors in Twenty20 cricket as well. A breakout year came in 2010 when he became one of Bangladesh’s top ODI scorers. He scored his first ODI century against New Zealand and was a key run-scorer for Bangladesh in the 2011 World Cup, where he earned two Man of the Match awards.

In 2017, while serving as a substitute wicketkeeper in a Test match against New Zealand, he achieved five dismissals in a single innings, the most by a substitute keeper in a Test innings.

Domestically, Kayes played for Khulna Division and a number of Bangladesh Premier League teams, including Sylhet Royals, Rangpur Riders, Comilla Victorians, Chattogram Challengers, and Khulna Tigers. He posted a career-best Test score of 150 and a notable ODI high of 144 against Zimbabwe in 2018, part of a series where he contributed strongly for Bangladesh.

In November 2024, Kayes announced his retirement from Test and first-class cricket. Across formats, he played 39 Tests and 78 ODIs for Bangladesh, amassing thousands of runs and leaving a lasting impact on the country’s cricket history.