Bangladesh’s talismanic ODI captain, Mashrafe Mortaza’s reaction to a question during a recent interaction with a local reporter, is hogging all limelight since Saturday.
The 36-year-old, who last featured in the group stage encounter against Bangladesh i🌠n the World Cup in England last year, is included in the plans for the upcoming ODI series 🥂against Zimbabwe.
Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) Chief Nꦍazmul Hasan already directed that this could be the last time in Bangla colors for Mortaza.
One of the reporters bluntly ask🔜ed whether the veteran fast bowler was ashamed of his performances during the World Cup last year, where he ended up with eight wickets.
“Why will I be ashamed? Am I a thief? Do I steal on the ground? I actually can not relate things like ‘self-respect’ or ‘being ashamed’ with playing cricket,” Mortaza struck back at the reporter.
Mortaza received a substantial amount of flak for not being able to pick up wickets with the new ball. Bangladesh held the worst record of strike-rates with the bꦦall, during the powerplays of the World Cup.
“There are people who steal and cheat; aren’t they ashamed of what they are doing? Only I have to feel ashamed if I do not get wickets in a game? Am I a thief?” continued the ODI captain.
Despite numerous career-threatening injuries plaguing his career, Mortaza holds a reputation for making a comeback and delivering it for the countr🙈y in his 18-year long career.
“I might not get wickets and then all of your personnel and also my fans can criticize and talk about it. But why would I have to be ashamed of it? Am I not playing for Bangladesh? Or am I playing for any other country that I must be ashamed of my performance? If I can not perform then they can drop me — it is that simple,” concluded Mortaza.
