I can play till the 2019 World Cup: Mashrafe Mortaza

Over the last few months a lot of attention in Bangladesh cricket has been on One-Day International (ODI) skipper Mashrafe Mortaza, there were reports that the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) was looking to replace him as skipper which was soon denied amidst regular doubts over his fitness and longevity at the highest level. To clear some doubts he has expressed his wish to play the World Cup 2019 in England.

Among his other longings is to attain consistency with this team which will bring in a sense of stability. In the last few years, Bangladesh team has grown in stature across formats be it their World Cup 2015, quarter-final appearance, playing the semi-final of the Champions Trophy 2017 or Test wins over England and Sri Lanka it has all contributed to their rise.

“Not necessarily, but it’s not like I don’t have the opportunity and maybe if Allah wants and I remain fit I can play till the 2019 World Cup so there is still a chance. But for me that’s not necessary, although many have told me that you deserve a trophy. Honestly, that never crossed my mind and these things don’t touch me at all. To me it’s important to take the team to a stable position,” he said while talking to Daily Star.

Desire to play the last match at home

He took the call to retire from Twenty20 Internationals out of nowhere and that was seen as a move to extend his ODI career, the format he seems to be enjoying at the moment. Mortaza also said that he will not make a sudden call to quit from ODIs and hopes for everything to go well so that he gets to retire after playing his last match at home.

“Obviously, I have the desire to do so (playing the last match on home soil) but it’s as if whatever I am planning is going to happen. But if everything goes well and I remain fit, and at the same time the environment is also very crucial for things to go in my favour. I have retired suddenly from T20 cricket but I don’t want to do the same in ODIs. But I do have a tendency of taking sudden decisions, and that has happened in my personal life as well. And if everything goes well I wish to let everyone know before I quit this game.”