Will Mash walk into sunset in home series against Zimbabwe?
SPORTS REPORTER, Dhaka
While Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) is mulling to bring the next home series against Zimbabwe one month ahead of the scheduled period, the retirement issue of the charismatic captain Mashrafe Bin Mortaza yet another came to light.
Mashrafes retirement issue had gone out of talk in the aftermath of the ICC Cricket World-2019 in United Kingdom (UK), where Bangladesh failed to perform as per the expectation as they finished eight among 10 teams of the extravaganza event.
Despite having clarion call from all the fronts, Mashrafe was adamant not to retire from international cricket at that moment. The issue finally went to the Prime Minister (PM) office for which the directors of the BCB were reluctant to talk about the matter of Mashrafes retirement talk rather they sent the ball to Mashrafes court to decide his own fate. Even the BCB president Nazmul Hassan Papon aptly averted the issue from the media.
Its learnt from the close sources of the board that the BCB has engaged with Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC) to discuss the matter of the home series targeting three things in mind. One is to bring the series one month ahead of the scheduled period so that they can successfully host two international T20 matches of World XI and Asia XI to celebrate the Bangabandhu centenary birth anniversary. The matches got special discretion from International Cricket Council (ICC) will be played in between March 18-22.
Along with that, they have discussed to make a two-match ODI series along with three-T20I series in place of five-match T20I series so that they can give a befitting farewell to Mashrafe Bin Mortaza on home territory.
The speculation is rife that Zimbabwe are coming to visit here in Bangladesh on February 18 to play the series though BCB director and its Cricket Operations Committee Chairman Akram Khan said the matter is yet to finalise. Itll take some more time to be settled.
Mashrafe played his last international outing against Pakistan in ICC Cricket World Cup-2019 in UK. He was poised to play the three-match ODI short series in Sri Lanka just after the conclusion of the showpiece event. But he was ruled out of the series at the eleventh hour of the teams departure for Sri Lanka because of his recurred injury.
In the aspects of persistent demand from the vested quarters, the BCB president said they will arrange a special ODI match or series for Mashrafe if he will retire on home soil.
Since then, Bangladesh had no ODI match at home and abroad. He hasnt been playing Test cricket since 2009. He then retired from the T20 cricket in 2017. The one-day, the only format he is now playing in his cricket career.
Even though the board has not officially said anything about Mashrafe retirement, BCB Media and Publication Committee Chairman Jalal Younus once said Mashrafe himself would take the decision of his retirement when he will hang up his cleats.
Even, there is also confusion over Mashrafes central contract issue as to whether he will be available for all the matches is very much in doubt due to his other commitments. The board is yet to announce the list of the central-contracted players within the short span of time. Its learnt that the selectors are in tethers whether they will keep him in contract or not. They are waiting for the board presidents directive. But Shakib Al Hasan is losing his contract due to serving the ICC ban.
