Mashrafe returns to practice

Former Bangladesh ODI captain Mashrafe bin Mortaza returned to the cricket after a break of almost eight months. The veteran right-arm pacer made a surprise visit to the nets at Bangladesh Cricket Board Academy Ground at Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium on Tuesday.

Mashrafe’s sudden return to the nets at SBNS has now put strong indication of his likely appearance in the ongoing Bangabandhu T20 Cup. Mashrafe was ruled out from the players’ draft of the five-team tournament due to suffering from hamstring injury.

Having recovered now, it is widely being said if Mashrafe is likely to come in action in the tournament as two teams – Gazi Group Chattogram and Fortune Barishal- have shown interest for the player. Gazi Group Chattogram in their game against Gemcon Khulna on Saturday last saw top order batsman Mominul Haque picked a hairline fracture on thumb and get ruled out from the rest of the tournament. Words are widespread that Gazi Group Chattogram are mulling to rope Mashrafe in place of Mominul. On the other hand Fortune Barishalare simply looking for a 17th player in the team.

Mashrafe’s inclusion in the tournament is under ‘special consideration’. The participating teams were allowed to take replacements only from the remaining of the players from the list of the Players’ Draft. BCB president Nazmul Hasan ahead of the tournament however had put Mashrafe under special consideration.

 The former Bangladesh captain was exempted from the draft list due to injury and was said that he will be available for selection by a team once he recovers. There is however confusion if Mashrafe can only join a squad as replacement or as a 17th member of the team. As per the tournament regulations a team cannot have a squad of more than 16 players and a new player can come in only as a replacement.

Mashrafe last played competitive cricket in March this year for Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi in Dhaka Premier League. His last international match was also in the same month, the three-match ODI series against Zimbabwe at home where he retired as Bangladesh ODI captain with a 3-0 win in the series.