Despite injuries on his back and knee, Bangladesh captain and pace spearhead Mashrafe Bin Mortaza has led the Tigers from the front after being handed the captaincy ahead of last year’s Zimbabwe series.
His 14-year career has been plagued with injuries that forced him to be sidelined 11 times and undergo seven surgeries in the past decade.
He missed the last World Cup, co-hosted by Bangladesh along with India and Sri Lanka, due to a knee injury.
Mashrafe has hobbled between overs while wearing a knee-cap during the Tigers’ progress to the quarterfinals in this World Cup.
Yet the 31-year old skipper refuses to give up.
Bangladesh celebrated their greatest World Cup moment on Saturday, sealing a knockout spot for the first time with a 15-run win at Adelaide Oval that sent three-time finalists England crashing out of the tournament on Monday.
Mashrafe bagged four wickets in their famous win over India in the 2007 World Cup that saw them go into the last eight of the competition which was a round-robin Super Eights.
It was the only time Bangladesh had progressed beyond the first round — until Monday’s great win over England.
He has modified his bowling action to lessen the burden on his legs, but the desperation to play and do well for Bangladesh means he has been unable to rest his body for long periods.
“You have to bear the pain if you want to perform for your country,” Mashrafe told Sydney Morning Herald.
“But the pain goes away when you do well and the team wins … like against England.”
Bowling in short spells, Mashrafe claimed the wickets of Alex Hales and Joe Root, both caught behind, to support the four-wicket haul by Rubel Hossain and two more by fellow-seamer Taskin Ahmed.
Mashrafe, annoyed by comments in the past that Bangladesh were more dependent on spinners than their new-ball bowlers, said his seamers had not got the respect they deserved.
“Hopefully, opinions will change now,” said the captain, who has taken six wickets in the tournament, including three in the first match against Afghanistan.
Mahmudullah, who on Monday became the first Bangladesh batsman to score a World Cup century, said Mashrafe was an inspiration for the team.
“How many players have fought back from injuries like he has … not once but several times?” Mahmudullah asked. “His self-belief rubs off on all of us.”
Bangladesh face co-hosts New Zealand in their last Pool A match on Friday at Seddon Park in Hamilton.
“It will obviously be a tough game because New Zealand are playing at home, but we will be ready for the challenge. We need to keep the momentum going,” said Mashrafe after their England win.
Mashrafe will need to ensure the over-rate does not lag on Friday, otherwise, he will be in danger of missing the quarter-final.
Bangladesh were two overs short against England and fined – Mashrafe 40 per cent of his match fee and his players 20 per cent each – and another such offence will invite a one-match suspension for the captain.
But after the great victory, he did his violence-torn countrymen proud by dedicating the England victory to the ‘fallen heroes of 1971 Liberation War”.
That is hopefully a message the country’s fractious politicians will not miss out.
Source: Bd news24
