Mushfiqur Rahim looked beyond the rain affected Test results and emphasised on the benchmark Bangladesh has set in the international circuit. The Tigers Test captain wants the team to continue the fearless cricket they staged in the last four months as the still have many areas to improve despite the achievements.
“We, the Bangladesh team have set a benchmark where we won the last four ODI series and played good cricket in the last eight Test matches. However, there are still many areas to improve and we have to make sure that we should continue playing consistent cricket,” Mushfiq said after the fifth day of the second Test was called off due to damp outfield at the Sher-e-Bangla National stadium yesterday.
“As you know we have a tough Australia series coming ahead and its time for us to enjoy what we achieved in the last four months. I think we have a much needed break before the series and we will come fresh for the Australia series,” said Mushfiq.
The 28-year old experienced wicketkeeper-batsman informed there is no room to relax. “We need to continue performing but there is no need to feel proud as scoring fifty or hundred or taking three or five wickets is a role of every cricketer in the side. And we may cherish those memories after the retirement and say I have done that against that team.”
Man of the Match in the second Test, Mushfiq informed that it has been a different experience for him.
“We heard before the start of our warm-up that the match is called off. I think on the fifth day the decision is with the match officials. There were wet areas in the outfield which would have taken three-four hours to dry when the sun came out. Maybe they felt this was the best time to call off the game given there wouldn’t be any chance of a result in the time remaining. I don’t think either of the teams were asked.
“We have never faced such a situation. If we had declared, they would have had to bat all day. There wouldn’t have been a result, but we could have earned something. (But) there are rules that have to be followed. Ninety per cent of the outfield was covered. It is hard to cover a ground of this size entirely. The drainage system here is as good as anywhere else in the world,” he added.
