Rafique named as Bangladesh cricketer of the year

Mohammad Rafique has been named as Bangladesh's Cricketer of the Year for 2004-05 at their end-of-season awards ceremony at the Pan Pacific Sonargaon Hotel in Dhaka on Saturday night.

Rafique, a 34-year-old left-arm spinner, not only cemented his position as the country's leading wicket-taker, but also unveiled an unheralded ability with the bat. Against West Indies in May 2004, he clobbered a thrilling 111, his maiden first-class century, and went on to add a brace of half-centuries in the series win over Zimbabwe.

Rafique won the top award ahead of Bangladesh's captain, Habibul Bashar, and the wicketkeeper, Khaled Mashud, and was also named as Allrounder of the Year. Mohammad Ashraful won the best batsman award, on the back of a brilliant unbeaten 158 against India, and Enamul Haq jr also won two awards - Best Bowler and Best Emerging Cricketer.

Cricinfo's Bangladesh correspondent, Rabeed Imam, was named as the country's best cricket reporter.