Bangladesh’s young opener Tanzid Hasan delivered one of the finest fielding performances ever recorded in T20 International cricket, taking an extraordinary five catches against Ireland in Chattogram. This achievement places him alongside only two players in T20I history to have reached this milestone, making him the first from a Test-playing nation to do so.
The remarkable aspect of Tanzid’s feat is its consistency and precision: he caught the final five Irish batsmen, each dismissal contributing to Ireland’s rapid collapse in the closing overs of the innings.
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The Elite List of Five-Catch Fielders in T20Is
Before Tanzid’s accomplishment, the world record was jointly held by:
Waadaga Malinda (Maldives) – 5 catches vs Qatar, Doha, 2023
Sediq Sahak (Sweden) – 5 catches vs Isle of Man, Tromode, 2024
With Tanzid joining the club in 2025, the record now features three names, but Tanzid stands out as the first elite-level, Test-nation fielder to reach the milestone.
How the Catches Unfolded
1st catch – 16th over:
Gareth Delany attempted to cut Rishad Hossain but only succeeded in giving Tanzid a sharp chance at backward point.
2nd & 3rd catches – 18th over:
Mustafizur Rahman’s clever changes of pace induced two mis-timed lofted shots from Mark Adair. Both flew directly to long-on, where Tanzid remained rock-steady.
4th catch – 19th over:
George Dockrell tried to accelerate but sent another mis-timed stroke into Tanzid’s safe hands.
5th catch – 20th over:
With only a few balls left, Ben White attempted a desperate big hit but found Tanzid once again patrolling long-on, securing the historic fifth catch.
Historical Context
Bangladesh had never before seen a fielder claim more than three catches in a T20I. Tanzid now extends that bar substantially. He also becomes only the second Bangladeshi player in all formats to take five catches in an international innings—following Imrul Kayes’s five catches in a Test match in Wellington in 2017.
Globally, the maximum number of catches taken by a fielder (excluding wicketkeepers) in any international innings is five—a record shared by 21 players across formats. Australian star Steven Smith remains the only man to have achieved the feat twice, both in Test matches.
A New Benchmark for Bangladesh
Tanzid’s performance is not only an individual milestone but also a significant step for Bangladesh cricket. His awareness, movement, confidence under the high ball and positional discipline all demonstrate the benefits of Bangladesh’s recent investment in fielding drills and athletic development.
His five-catch haul will undoubtedly feature prominently in discussions of the best fielding performances in T20I history and serves as a new benchmark for future Bangladeshi cricketers.