With just five first-class matches under his belt, Shahriar Nafees was thrusted into the Test squad for Bangladesh's first tour of England at the tender age of 19. The tour was a learning experience for the youngster, watching the settled opening pair of Nafees Iqbal and Javed Omar in action.

Shahriar made his Test debut in 2005 against Sri Lanka and got some decent starts. With every outing he matured and in 2006, he finally scored his maiden first-class as well as Test ton, against Australia. He continued to show flashes of brilliance with his fine knocks and was subsequently made the vice-captain for the Champions Trophy where he scored a century against Zimbabwe, but failed against stronger oppositions.

However, he played a crucial in Bangladesh's 5-0 whitewash over Zimbabwe in late 2006. Shahriar joined the rebel league in 2008 and was handed a 10-year ban by the Bangladesh Cricket Board. But, he canceled the contract the following year, making himself available for national selection. Shahriar was then recalled in January 2010 for the home Tri-series.