Bangladesh fast bowlers Hasan Mahmud and Syed Khaled Ahmed played key roles in Kent’s late-season surge as the English county side secured promotion to Division One of the County Championship.
Kent sealed second place in Division Two following the completion of their final-round fixture, earning an immediate return to the top tier after finishing bottom of the second division last season.
The contribution of Bangladesh’s two pacers was particularly significant, with Hasan and Khaled combining for 42 wickets in just seven matches during Kent’s promotion campaign.
Hasan was the first to make his mark. The right-arm pacer claimed 26 wickets in four matches before leaving the county campaign to join Bangladesh’s national team for international duty.
His spell proved especially valuable during the closing stages of Kent’s push for promotion, providing the side with a potent wicket-taking option and helping them collect crucial points.
Khaled joined Kent towards the end of the season and made an immediate impact. He took 16 wickets in three matches, including a match-winning haul of eight wickets in Kent’s seven-wicket victory over Lancashire.
That performance came at a crucial point in the promotion race and strengthened Kent’s position among the leading sides in Division Two.
Khaled maintained his form in Kent’s final match against Gloucestershire, taking five wickets across the two innings as Kent secured an eight-wicket victory.
The result completed a strong finish for Kent, but promotion was only confirmed after Northamptonshire suffered defeat against Middlesex.
Kent eventually finished second in the eight-team Division Two table with 198 points from 14 matches, while Northamptonshire ended on 191 points.
For Kent, the return to Division One marks a remarkable turnaround from last season’s last-place finish. For Bangladesh cricket, meanwhile, the campaign provided further evidence of the growing impact of its fast bowlers in overseas conditions.
