Cox’s Bazar is a coastal city known for its blue waters and rolling hills. From this tourism hub emerged Mominul Haque, who carved out a distinct place in Bangladesh cricket through his left-handed batting, patience, and consistent Test performances. The cricketer from Cox’s Bazar later captained Bangladesh’s national Test team, making his journey an inspiring example of a player rising from outside the country’s traditional cricket centres to the national stage.
Born and raised in Cox’s Bazar
Mominul Haque was born in Cox’s Bazar on September 29, 1991. He spent much of his childhood and adolescence in the coastal city and developed an early interest in cricket. Playing at the local level gradually strengthened his ambition to pursue the sport professionally, a goal that required structured training, hard work and opportunities to develop his talent.
With that in mind, he enrolled at the Bangladesh Krira Shikkha Protishtan (BKSP), the country’s national sports institute. There, he received formal cricket training while continuing his education. He graduated from BKSP in 2011, laying the foundation for his professional career.
From age-group cricket to the national team
Mominul demonstrated his potential in age-group cricket while training at BKSP. In 2009, he attracted attention as Bangladesh’s leading run-scorer against Zimbabwe Under-19. He also represented Bangladesh at the 2010 Under-19 World Cup in New Zealand.
He subsequently established himself in domestic cricket, making his first-class debut for Dhaka Division in the 2008–09 season. Consistent performances caught national selectors’ attention, and he further demonstrated his batting ability during Bangladesh A’s tour of the West Indies.
Mominul made his one-day international debut against the West Indies on November 30, 2012, followed by his T20 debut in December that year. However, Test cricket became the defining format of his career.
He made his Test debut against Sri Lanka on March 8, 2013, and soon established himself as a dependable batter in the longer format. Later that year, he scored consecutive centuries against New Zealand. His patience at the crease, ability to withstand pressure and capacity to build substantial innings helped him become one of Bangladesh’s most reliable Test batters.
Test success and national captaincy
A major milestone in Mominul’s career came in 2019, when he was appointed captain of Bangladesh’s Test team. He took responsibility for leading the national side in the longest format while continuing to contribute with the bat.
His highest individual Test score is 181. According to the International Cricket Council’s statistics cited in the source, Mominul had scored 5,265 runs in 81 Tests as of 2026, including 13 centuries and 28 half-centuries. These figures reflect his contribution to Bangladesh’s Test cricket.
An inspiration for young cricketers in Cox’s Bazar
Mominul’s journey holds particular significance for aspiring cricketers in Cox’s Bazar. His career shows how hard work, regular practice, and perseverance can help a player reach the national level, even without an established cricketing family or a traditional cricket centre.
Cox’s Bazar is widely recognised for its tourism industry and beaches, but athletes like Mominul are helping highlight another dimension of the district. His accomplishments on the cricket field inspire young people to believe that talent and dedication can lead to representing their country.
Mominul Haque is therefore more than a national cricketer from Cox’s Bazar; he is also a source of pride for the district’s sporting community. His rise from the coastal city to a leadership role in international cricket can inspire future generations.
By Abdur Rashid Manik
Photo: Collected
