Given the vast experience of the Bangladesh national team members, their former skipper Mashrafe Bin Mortaza believes that this is the best time for them to win the title of the Asia Cup or the World Cup.

The next edition of the Asia Cup is scheduled to be played in September in Pakistan, followed by the ICC World Cup in India in October-November this year.

‘Now it is high time for us to win a major tournament, which may be the Asia Cup or the World Cup.’

‘If you consider the experiences of our senior members alongside the young campaigner like Shanto, who has also even been playing international cricket for five years, you should. You wouldn't find such an experienced side in the world of cricket right now, not even Australia, said Mashrafe on Thursday in Mirpur.

The veteran cricketer further backed his former fellow colleague, also the Tiger Test and T20 skipper Shakib Al Hasan, who asserted that 2023 is going to be the best ever year for them in terms of securing some monumental achievements.

The reason for his assertion was that substantial members of their sides, like Tamim Iqbal, Mushfiqur Rahim, Mahmudullah, Mustafizur Rahman, Taskin Ahmed, and Mehidy Hasan Miraz, have at least seven years of experience playing for their nation.

‘If you ask why Shakib said such a thing, I believe that in world cricket there isn’t another experienced team like ours. Even Australia aren’t as experienced.’

‘So with that experience in mind, Shakib can say such a thing, and I back him absolutely. This year can be very big for us if everyone is healthy, in good shape, and has a clear mind. My request to you is not to bring up negative news within the team.’

He also clarified that he doesn’t have a headache about the Indian Premier League, although his former teammates Mustafizur Rahman and Liton Das are featuring in the ongoing edition of the meet in the outfits of the Delhi Capitals and Kolkata Knight Riders, respectively.

‘I don’t have any headaches from IPL. This is not the area of my concern as to whether Liton will be playing or not. My only headache remains for Bangladesh.’

‘However, you see, they [Delhi] have flown away Mustafizur on a chartered flight but didn’t play all matches.’