ZCZC
BSP-21
CRICKET-MASHRAFE-FAREWELL
Teammates want to give Mashrafe a fitting farewell
DHAKA, April 28, 2019 (BSS)-While Mashrafe Bin Mortaza is going to play
his last World Cup, Mushfiqur Rahim said the whole team is determined to make
his farewell from the cricket carnival in fitting way to acknowledge the
contribution of the inspirational captain for the country’s cricket.
Mashrafe is in fact believed to walk into the sunset after the cricket’s
biggest extravaganza.
His leadership skill, coupled with his ability to inspire the players
and his myth-alike return to cricket, braving career-threatening injury again
and again made him the most charismatic character not only in Bangladesh, but
also in world cricket. There is no denying fact that his inspirational
captaincy is key in Bangladesh’s resurgence after that groundbreaking World
Cup in 2015 in which he led the country to move into the quarterfinal for the
first time in any global event.
Probably he remains the first player in sports world to continue game
after undergoing at operation table for eight times for different injuries.
His brave comeback braving the injury earned him the nick name ‘Braveheart.’
Mushfiqur said for the five senior players-he himself, Tamim Iqbal,
Shakib Al Hasan, Mahmudullah Riyad and Mashrafe Bin Mortaza, it will be last
World Cup as there is no chance that they would play all together in any
global event.
“It’s a matter of pride and honour to represent the country in the
global event, I feel it always. There will be expectation on us and we’ll be
happy if we can earn an expected success,” Mushfiqur said here today.
“We are more determined this time around because probably it will be the
last time we five senior players will play a World Cup all together. For
Mashrafe bhai, it will be the last world cup so there is no chance that we
five altogether will play any global tournament afterwards.”
“We are really determined to give Mashrafe Bhai a befitting farewell. We
want to make this World Cup memorable for the sake of Mashrafe Bin Mortaza.
So I think, doing something special for Mashrafe will motivate us more to do
well in this World Cup,” he said.
Mushfiqur Rahim and other stalwarts like Tamim, Shakib rallied around
Mashrafe Bin Mortaza in their first World Cup in 2007 to beat India in the
group stage and scripted Bangladesh way to move to the second round.
“Actually we were very young then. We were hugely excited to play the
World Cup and Mashrafe bhai guided us. Now we are playing our last world cup
with Mashrafe, it is bit emotional for us.”
BSS/SMP/BZC/1950HRS