Mashrafe Mortaza has signed off as Bangladesh captain in style, leading the country to a win for the 50th time in One Day International (ODI) cricket as the hosts completed a 3-0 whitewash in the recently-concluded three-match ODI against Zimbabwe in Sylhet.
On Friday (March 6), Mortaza completed his leadership stint as Bangladesh’s ODI captain with 50 wins from 88 ODIs after the Tigers defeated Zimbabwe by 123 runs in the rain-hit third ODI to complete a clean sweep at the Sylhet International Stadium.
Read Also: BAN v ZIM 2020: Third ODI - Statistical Highlights
He was given great a honor for his farewell match as captain by his teammates and Bangladesh Cricket Board, as Tamim Iqbal picked him up on his shoulders for a lap of honor and the players also wore special jerseys with his name and number at the back, and "thank you captain" written in the front.
The former captain was also presented with a special edition jersey as well as a commemorative plaque by his teammates with the BCB paying tribute to Mortaza after the final ODI.
After the game, the veteran pacer has revealed mixed feelings, as well as, was happy that he was able to end his leadership stint on a winning note, saying he is now feeling relaxed after enjoying the status as one of the most important figures in Bangladesh.
One of the most successful Bangladesh captains, Mortaza also revealed that he didn’t want to make any mistake in his farewell game as captain.
Mortaza said: “Now I am feeling relaxed. There's one less thing to worry about. One responsibility has lessened. It was a big responsibility. Usually, at this time, some feel good some feel bad. I have mixed feelings too. To be honest, I am happy that I could finish well as a captain. I also ended on a win.”
He added, “Our main focus was winning the game. We planned and thought about the match. We knew that everything would have been spoiled had we lost.
We had a big score but I didn't want to make a mistake today. When a person announces that something has ended, he is vulnerable to making mistakes. He knows there's no one to answer to afterwards. I was really focused on not making any mistakes. Everyone assumed that this was a straightforward win, but I wanted to finish well.”
On the selection of new captain, the pacer said: “I cannot say anything about the selection. But you have to perform as a captain. And captaincy is huge pressure, especially in international cricket. But when I’m thinking of myself just as a player, in that sense, it is a very good decision for me.”
However, he wished to continue as a player, adding: “I have to perform. It will be up to the selectors. A player has to play well, and then he becomes the captain, which itself is a huge pressure. But now as a player, I have a lot of time to think about myself which will help me a lot.”
Mortaza also believes that it is the captain’s responsibility to handle cricketers' off-field issues – which is more important than guiding them on the field.
He further explained, “I don't think there is much to do on the field, but off the field, there are so many things to do with the players. I think they get disturbed by so many things. It could be from their family side, something might be popping up they might not want to see. Personal problems. Out form, not able to adjust with the coach, fitness issue. It varies.
So it's a captain's responsibility to support him and also take the responsibility of the team. No matter how bad they play. I have seen many cricketers who could not perform because they were focusing entirely on their captaincy rather than giving focus to their game.”
He also stressed Bangladesh should not experiment too much for the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup 2020, adding: “It's not the time for us to do an experiment, it's the time to bring results. And whoever the coach comes if he does some experiment, that would not be good for Bangladesh cricket.”
Mortaza signed off by saying, “You cannot afford to experiment for six months and then make a change and then expect them to do well in two years. So management and the board have to see.”
(With Cricbuzz Inputs)
