Mashrafe Mortaza's retirement has remained a talking point in Bangladesh cricket for quite some time. The country's most successful ODI captain spoke to Cricbuzz regarding his retirement plans, Here are the excerpts:
Tell us about your retirement plan? Bangladesh head coach Russell Domingo suggested that you are not part of the scheme of things going forward.
My basic plan is to play cricket. No one stays in anyone's plan. In fact, it is a matter of understanding or knowing who is planning what.
For example, you are planning for the T20 World Cup like T20, planning for a Test match like a Test, ODI plan is like ODI. I don't even know who is planning what. Of course, one thing I need to clear is that I was the highest wicket-taker in the previous three series before the 2019 World Cup.
The tournament though was bad beyond my imagination. Now it is natural that everyone will judge me with one tournament. I will not disagree with that. But how I see myself is up to me.
And (like I said previously) I was the highest wicket-taker in the previous three series before the World Cup. So now I will think like me and others who are planners will plan like them.
Why did you step down from ODI captaincy all of a sudden?
The (next) World Cup is still a little over three years away. So from now on, if BCB can name a proper captain for the World Cup, then it will be good for the Bangladesh team.
The case is different as a player. Just two months before the 2011 World Cup, I was ruled out of the tournament (with an injury). So there is no guarantee for (playing just as) a player.
Even the captain can have an injury, and it's also a different case. But the cricket board always wants to have their best captain. In that case, it is a good opportunity.
Was it disappointing for you that the BCB chose to communicate their intentions through the media?
No, that was not the case entirely. Papon bhai [BCB president Nazmul Hasan] spoke with me about this (retirement issue). Papon bhai also told me that he will only talk with me and will not talk to anyone else about this issue.
He repeatedly called me and told me to make a decision. Then I told him at that time I will play till the BPL. He then went to the press and said that. I clearly remember he told everyone to leave the room as he wanted to talk to me personally. In this case, he has given me enough respect.
The problem is those who were not there spread rumours. They didn't even know anything about what was discussed between me and Papon bhai.
They spoke about my salary, asking why would the board pay someone without anything in return? Have I been playing cricket for 18 years thinking about money? If I thought about money, there were many opportunities for me then.
I did not play cricket for money. What was worse is that they spread rumours like the Bangladesh team played nine and a half players in the World Cup.
Do you feel I deserve this? Maybe they [board] wanted to give me a better farewell but you must see my side as well. There were talks about me going for the Sri Lanka tour. I would have gone to Sri Lanka if I had not been injured.
All of a sudden there was this rush to push me (out). All I know is that I have given my life to cricket even though I was torn apart and bleeding inside. If money was the main criteria, I could have done many things, more so when my career was troubled with so many injuries.
I didn't even go to play in ICL when I had an offer of BDT eight crores. I didn't do that.
I have played cricket by giving my life and maybe I could not become such a great player. But at least I expect some kind of respect.
