Bangladesh national team chief selector Minhjaul Abedin believes that the country’s young cricketers have ample to learn from the veteran pacer Mashrafe Bin Morataza thanks to his gleaming showcases at the age of 39 in the ongoing Bangladesh Premier League for the Sylhet Strikers that surprised them greatly.
"A legend always goes out like a legend. The young cricketers have a lot to learn from him on how to perform at this age. Of course, it's inspiring for them, said chief selector Minhajul Abedin on Monday in Mirpur.
Another member of the national selection panel, Abdur Razzak, opined that it would be decent if the Bangladesh Cricket Board could hold an official send-off for Mashrafe Bin Mortaza alongside the other national team campaigners who are in the last phase of their careers.
Mashrafe, who played his last game in red-ball cricket, was unable to return to the format due to multiple leg surgeries.
He said good-bye to the T20Is during the Bangladesh tour of Sri Lanka in 2017 and featured in his ODIs against the touring Zimbabweans back in March, 2020 at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium.
However, regrettably, the BCB couldn’t run a formal farewell for the country’s finest skipper.
‘It’s entirely a cricket board’s decision, and it’s expected to be a special decision. We don’t have any objections if the board settles on it,’ said Razzak in Mirpur on Monday.
‘We also want those who are about to be finished with their careers to be handed an official send-off that would be decent.’
Following his last appearance in the ODIs, the 39-year-old is only taking part in the country’s domestic cricket, such as the Dhaka Premier League and Bangladesh Premier League.
However, as a member of parliament, it is often difficult for him to make his frequent appearances in competitions.
Still, his bowling accuracy in this edition of the BPL surprised the fans as well as the national selectors, as he is holding the second place among all bowlers in contention after scalping nine wickets in six ties at a spectacular economy rate of 6.75.
