Shahadat Hossain Rajib (born 7 August 1986) is a Bangladeshi cricketer who represented the Bangladesh national cricket team in Test and One Day International (ODI) cricket. A right-arm fast bowler, he was identified early in his career as one of the quickest bowlers in the Bangladesh set-up. He is notable as the first Bangladeshi bowler to take a hat-trick in an ODI.
| Full name | Shahadat Hossain Rajib |
|---|---|
| Date of birth | 7 August 1986 |
| Nationality | Bangladeshi |
| Role | Fast bowler |
| Test debut | 2005, during Bangladesh's tour of England |
| ODI debut | 2006, against Kenya |
| Notable achievement | First Bangladeshi to take an ODI hat-trick |
Shahadat emerged in the Bangladesh international set-up in the mid-2000s. The then national coach Dav Whatmore described him as the fastest bowler in the team at the time of his international entry, identifying him as a key pace option for a side that had traditionally relied on spin.
Shahadat made his Test debut in 2005 during Bangladesh's first tour of England. The following year, he was selected for limited-overs cricket and made his ODI debut against Kenya. During this period he became the first Bangladeshi bowler to claim a hat-trick in an ODI, a landmark achievement in the country's cricket history.
Shahadat at times struggled with conceding too many runs, which led to his being dropped from the side in 2009. He returned to the international squad subsequently, but his progress was again interrupted by injury. A broken toe ruled him out of selection for Bangladesh in July 2011. After a gap of more than a year since his previous Test appearance, he was recalled to the squad in October 2011.
In November 2010, Shahadat was part of the Bangladesh squad that won the country's first ever gold medal in any event at the Asian Games, achieved in the cricket competition.
In November 2019, Shahadat was handed a five-year ban from cricket following an incident in which he assaulted a teammate.
Shahadat is among the prominent fast bowlers produced by Bangladesh in the 2000s. His ODI hat-trick remains a milestone in the bowling records of Bangladesh cricket, and his role in the 2010 Asian Games gold-winning side is part of a notable moment in Bangladesh's broader sporting history.