Arafat Bhuiyan, a British-Bangladeshi seam bowler, has turn out to be the seventh graduate of the South Asian Cricket Academy (SACA) to signal skilled phrases, after becoming a member of Kent for the rest of the 2023 season.

Bhuiyan was born in Dhaka, Bangladesh, however has UK residency, and has taken 17 wickets for Kent's second XI, together with finest figures of 4 for 81 towards Hampshire earlier this month. He made his first-class debut in Kent's ongoing fixture towards Surrey on the Kia Oval.

He at the moment performs his membership cricket within the Kent Premier League for Blackheath, and has additionally featured for Surrey, Essex and Derbyshire's Second XIs prior to now six years, in addition to stints for MCC's Young Cricketers aspect in 2019, and SACA this yr.

"I'm over the moon to have signed for Kent," Bhuiyan stated. "It's a dream come true to become a professional cricketer and I feel all my hard work has paid off.

"I'm grateful to Kent, particularly Second XI Coach Mark Dekker, for the religion they've confirmed in me, and hope I can carry out effectively if given the chance."

Bhuiyan moved to Birmingham to be part of SACA's winter training programme, and credited that experience for fast-tracking his professional ambitions.

"I might additionally wish to thank Dr Tom Brown from SACA for giving me the chance to coach and for accommodating me throughout the Winter in Birmingham," he said. "I am unable to communicate extremely sufficient concerning the quantity of labor he's placing into this programme."

Kent's Director of Cricket, Paul Downton, added: "Arafat comes extremely really helpful from our pathway coaches and has impressed together with his tempo and management with the ball for us this yr. He brings much-needed depth to our bowling assault as we head right into a busy interval of the season."