Bangladesh skipper Mashrafe Mortaza is delighted with Tigers' success in the One Day International cricket after winning the three-match series 2-1 against the West Indies on Friday (December 14).
Having enjoyed a great year 2018, Bangladesh have made significant progress in the white-ball game over the last 12 months, as their winning percentage of 65 shows that they are playing with the confidence, and Mortaza is hoping to do well in the upcoming New Zealand tour on the back of gained confidence from victorious season especially at home.
After whitewashing West Indies in the Test series, Bangladesh brought that form into the ODI series, as they won the first ODI, though slipped in the second match, but brilliantly bounced back in the final as the hosts put up a clinical show in Sylhet to restrict the Windies to just 198 for 9, eventually registering the nine wickets win to clinch the three-match rubber 2-1 on Friday.
Mortaza told reporters after a series victory in Sylhet, “Winning eight out of 12 ODI series makes it clear that we have progressed, and we are playing with confidence. We have the New Zealand series coming up. It is an important series for us since we lost to them last year. I think we have a more balanced side, and we hope to do well there.”
While praising his bowlers for executing their plans to near-perfection, Captain said, “Combination is important for a team. Not that we always get it right but the execution is more important. The bowlers executed their plans today. Winning the toss was vital too but the bowlers did the work for the batsmen. Soumya is ideal for No.3 and he delivered. It is all about execution and holding your nerve.”
Meanwhile, there are a lot of talks about Mortaza’s retirement from game after World Cup 2019 because of injuries, but the fast-bowler, who has 250 ODI wickets to his name so far, insisted that he will decide about his future after his country’s last game in the next year’s showpiece event in England.
Mortaza signed off by saying, “To be honest, have never deeply thought about [this being my last game] There are challenges ahead and I want to be more prepared to face those. What I will do after the World Cup, I will decide after the [team's] last match in the World Cup.”
(With Cricbuzz Inputs)
