Mashrafe: Focus does not shift easily after 18 years of experience

Bangladesh ODI captain Mashrafe bin Mortaza reassured that he is fully focused on his cricket at the moment after being adjudged man-of-the-match in the first match of the three-game series against the West Indies where the Tigers won by five wickets.

Mashrafe has been nominated to take part in the upcoming national election for the ruling party. 

With the election looming, many people thought Mashrafe’s preparation for the ODI series could be hampered. 

But the ODI captain played brilliantly in the first match, and led from the front.

Mashrafe informed that he is still fully focused on cricket, and such performance in the international level is not an answer to his critics, who thought his concentration might be distracted due to the impending election.

@BCBtigers ODI captain Mashrafe bin Mortaza informed that he is not fully fit yet as he is nursing a slight hamstring injury.https://t.co/mMHelAzuxM#CRICKET #BANGLADESH #BANGLADESHCRICKET #BCBTIGERS #BCB #TIGERS #MASHRAFEBINMORTAZA #MASHRAFE #BIN #MORTAZA #MASHRAFEMORTAZA #CWI

— Dhaka Tribune Sports (@Sport_DT) December 9, 2018

“There is nothing like giving answers. I know if I perform badly, then some may criticise. That’s natural. I am playing international cricket for 18 years. After playing 18 years of international cricket, focus does not shift easily from cricket. One knows himself very well. I don’t know if people know me or not, but I know myself very well. So as I said earlier, I am fully focused on my cricket, and it has not shifted. I have practised hard in training sessions in the last few days, and it is not like I’m giving answers to the criticism,” Mashrafe said during the post-match press conference at Mirpur Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Dhaka Sunday.      

 It was a landmark match for Mashrafe as he has played his 200th ODI, the first such Bangladeshi to do so.

He marked the occasion with a brilliant match-winning performance and was later awarded for his superb bowing. 

On his landmark day, Mashrafe bowled brilliantly as the experienced campaigner ended the first innings with bowling figure of 10-0-30-3. 

Mashrafe took the wickets of Shai Hope (43), Darren Bravo (19) and the West Indies stand-in captain Rovman Powell (14).

1ST ODI

WEST INDIES INNINGS    R    B

Powell c Rubel b Shakib    10    27

Hope c Miraz b Mashrafe    43    59

Bravo c Tamim b Mashrafe    19    51

Samuels c Liton b Rubel    25    48

Hetmyer b Miraz         6    13

Rovman c Liton b Mashrafe    14    25

Chase c Miraz b Mustafizur    32    38

Paul c Miraz b Mustafizur    36    28

Roach not out            5    8

Bishoo c & b Mustafizur    0    1

Thomas not out        0    2

Extras (lb 3, w2)        5

Total (50 overs) 195/9

Fall Of Wickets

1-29 (Powell), 2-65 (Bravo), 3-78 (Hope), 4-93 (Hetmyer), 5-119 (Rovman), 6-127(Samuels), 7-178 (Chase), 8-194 (Paul), 9-195 (Bishoo)

Bowling

Miraz 10-0-30-1, Shakib 10-0-36-1, Mustafizur 10-0-35-3, Mashrafe 10-0-30-3 (w1), Rubel 10-0-61-1 (w1)

BANGLADESH INNINGS    R    B

Tamim c Bishoo b Chase    12    24

Liton b Paul            41    57

Imrul b Thomas        4    2

Mushfiq not out        55    70

Shakib c Hope b Rovman    30    26

Soumya c Rovman b Chase    19    13

Mahmudullah not out        14    21

Extras (lb 6, nb 2, w 13)    21 

Total (35.1 Overs)        196/5 

Fall Of Wickets

1-37 (Tamim), 2-42 (Imrul), 3-89 (Liton), 4-146 (Shakib), 5-175 (Soumya)

Bowling

Roach 6-0-35-0, Chase 9-1-47-2, Thomas 5-0-34-1, Paul 8-0-37-1, Bishoo 6.1-0-30-0, Rovman 1-0-7-1

Bangladesh won by five wickets, lead series 1-0

MoM: Mashrafe bin Mortaza