Mohammad Ashraful, once the poster boy of Bangladesh cricket, is returning to the Bangladesh Premier League’s sixth season after serving five-year ban for his involvement in match-fixing in 2013. The right-hander will play for Chittagong Vikings this season. After the Vikings’ first official practice session in Mirpur’s BCB Academy Ground, Ashraful addressed the media about his current situation, target and dream of returning the national team, among other topics. Here are the excerpts:
How do you feel after returning to the BPL?
After returning to domestic cricket (in 2016), I played in the first-class league, and the Dhaka Premier League, but those games were not telecasted. The BPL is an international tournament. I feel lucky to play here. I thank the owner of Chittagong Vikings for selecting me. As I know the game and have experience of playing in the BPL, I will try my best to perform if I get chances.
Is it the perfect opportunity to improve your image?
I got the punishment for my wrongdoing. I was out of this format for five years and nine months. I confessed my guilt, made redemption and played well in the last two years at the domestic arena. I will try to perform well this season in the BPL, because my fans are waiting for my return to the national team. If I can manage to return in the national team then it will be set as an example in our cricket that one can script a comeback through performance, despite missing for a long time. I think it’s a challenge for me.
What was in your mind after coming to training Friday?
I am dreaming of wearing the Bangladesh jersey again. I scored five centuries in the DPL, but people did not see my batting then. They just saw the scorecards. This is the biggest platform now, because the match will be telecasted live.
Another thing is, I know that the style of the game in international cricket is different at the moment, but when I started my career, I tried to play this style of cricket. So, I thought I needed a platform to show that I am still capable of playing in the international arena. Thankfully, I got the chance in BPL 6, and hopefully I will perform.
#Mashrafe back in gym, #Ashraful hopes high in #BPL https://t.co/6yCXPo8ltD
— Dhaka Tribune Sports (@Sport_DT) January 2, 2019
At the age of 34, how much cricket do you have left in you?
As I am a batsman, if I stay fit then I believe I can play four to five more years, by the grace of Allah. If you explore international cricket, then you will find many batsmen who played until their latter years. Actually, it depends on fitness as well. I am feeling a lot fitter than the previous two years in every aspect. I will try to play as long as possible, if fitness and performance sustain.
Do you have any particular target of returning to the national team prior to the 2019 World Cup?
For Bangladesh, obviously I have a target to return before the World Cup. I have played three World Cups - 2003, 2007 and 2011, I had embargo on 2015. As the 2019 World Cup is looming, I am not thinking a lot about that, but if I can perform well, my experience may be counted.
The BPL is a different challenge, and different in standard compared to the other domestic leagues? How hard will it be for you to adapt?
Obviously it would be tough. It’s a tournament of international standard. If I can perform here then it will be taken into consideration. I have played 13 years in international cricket. I also played the first two editions of the BPL where my team won the championship on both occasions. I performed well then. I hope I can perform well for Chittagong this season, and help them get good results.
It’s kind of a restart for cricketer Ashraful, isn’t it?
When I played the national league after a gap of three years, I got a restart actually back then. I haven’t played the BPL for five years, obviously feeling is different, but I am trying to enjoy every moment.
