Hasan, Khaled help Kent earn promotion to County Championship's top division

Bangladesh pacers Hasan Mahmud and Khaled Ahmed played important roles in Kent’s successful promotion to Division One of the County Championship, with the English county securing a return to the top tier after a one-year absence.

Kent finished second in Division Two with 198 points from 14 matches after beating Gloucestershire by eight wickets in their final match of the season on Saturday.

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However, their promotion had already been confirmed earlier in the day when third-placed Northamptonshire lost to Middlesex. The defeat left Northamptonshire on 191 points, seven behind Kent, ensuring that Kent would finish in the top two regardless of the result of their final match.

Durham won the Division Two title, while Kent secured the second promotion spot.

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Hasan and Khaled were among the stars of Kent’s late-season push. Hasan took 26 wickets in four matches before returning to Bangladesh duty at the request of the Bangladesh Cricket Board. Khaled, who joined Kent towards the end of the season, claimed 16 wickets in three matches.

Khaled made a particularly strong impact in Kent’s seven-wicket victory over Lancashire, taking eight wickets in the match. The win strengthened Kent’s position in the promotion race and set them up for a return to Division One.

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Kent’s promotion marks a significant turnaround after they finished bottom of Division Two last season, 29 points behind Northamptonshire, who were immediately above them.

The County Championship is divided into two tiers, with the top two teams in the eight-team Division Two promoted to the 10-team Division One, while the bottom two sides in Division One are relegated.