Bangladesh want Mortaza fairytale to go on
MIRPUR: The fever around the Asia Cup final here is palpable. The demand for tickets has gone through the roof. Expectations are high that the Tigers, as the Bangladesh side is affectionately called, will come through this time around and win the title.
A victory in the final of the Asia Cup is being seen as a means to finally dispelling notions of being the least powerful side in the sub-continent. And the man in the centre of this brewing pressure is skipper Mashrafe Mortaza.
The medium-pacer, who was handed the captaincy ahead of the 2015 World Cup, has led this side through one of its most successful spells in the history of Bangladesh cricket.
In the past year, the team has reached the quarterfinal of the Cricket World Cup and then beaten both Pakistan and India in bilateral series. After that they beat South Africa too.
With the Asia Cup final now, and the World T20 to follow, expectations are that this side under Mortaza will cap-off the year with success in these mega-events.
Personally, for Morataza, who has hinted this to be his final year in international cricket, the final on Sunday and the World T20 offer a perfect platform to sign-off and impose his legacy on the cricketmad nation.
The 32-year-old has been one of the team’s longest-serving members. Since making his debut in 2001, he has been a constant in all of their success stories.
The fear of losing their skipper is a real danger. Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) is already trying to make him rethink his retirement.
BCB’S head of operations and former captain, Akram Khan said he should not quit after bringing Bangladesh so far. “It is a progress that has been remarkable. But, I feel he should carry on a bit longer. This is not the right time for him to go. Even after the World T20, we want him to carry on,” said Khan.