Get to know: Rishad Hossain (Sunrisers Eastern Cape)

Sunrisers Eastern Cape will look to make history with their latest signing, with Bangladesh leg-spinner Rishad Hossain set to become the first from his country play in Betway SA20 come Season 5. 

Born in Nilphamari in northern Bangladesh in July 2002, Hossain took up leg-spin at a local academy in Rangpur as a teenager, an unusual choice in a cricketing culture that has traditionally leaned on finger-spin and produced few frontline wrist-spinners at the highest level. He made his first-class debut for North Zone in December 2018 before going on to represent Rangpur Division, and it did not take long for his point of difference to be noticed.

Hossain made his T20I debut for Bangladesh against Zimbabwe in March 2020, though his rise up the international pecking order gathered real pace once Chandika Hathurusinghe returned as head coach and pushed for a genuine wrist-spin option in the side. His ODI debut, against Ireland in Sylhet in March 2023, announced him with a bang: Hossain smashed a six off the very first ball he faced, only the second Bangladeshi to ever do so on debut.

Hossain's defining moment arrived at the 2024 T20 World Cup, where he finished level with MI Cape Town captain Rashid Khan on 14 wickets across seven matches, the most ever taken by a Bangladeshi bowler in a single edition of the tournament. His three-wicket hauls against Sri Lanka, the Netherlands and Afghanistan were backed up by gutsy death-bowling spells against India and South Africa, instantly turning him from a promising talent into one of the format's most feared young spinners.

He has continued to back that up with the bat too, capable of clearing the ropes when needed; earlier in 2024 he struck a rapid 53 off 30 balls against Sri Lanka, including seven sixes, underlining the rare dual threat he poses as a genuine all-rounder.

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Hossain's stock has continued to rise on the franchise circuit. He has featured in the Pakistan Super League, claiming 12 wickets in the competition, and has been a mainstay in the Big Bash League, where he took 15 wickets in 11 innings during a standout campaign that helped fly the flag for Bangladeshi cricketers on the biggest overseas stages.

The 24-year-old has quietly rewritten what is possible for wrist-spin in Bangladeshi cricket. He could potentially be doing the same by opening the door for more Bangladeshi players in Betway SA20.