Former Bangladesh ODI captain Mashrafe bin Mortaza revealed of going against all odds to promote all-rounder Shakib al Hasan to bat at No 3 during the World Cup 2019 in England and Wales.
Mashrafe made the revelation during a live chat session with new Bangladesh ODI skipper Tamim Iqbal on facebook Monday.
“Everyone had a lot to say about Shakib batting at No 3 in the World Cup. Shakib was confident that he could handle the pressure. My point of view was that if he failed in two matches, nobody would be more concerned than Shakib. He knows how to handle the pressure. I backed him fully because I felt he would have maximum impact at No 3,” Mashrage told Tamim during the chat session.
Mashrafe was paid back brilliantly for his decision as Shakib produced a standout tournament, hitting 606 runs in eight innings, including two hundreds and five fifties.
The left-handed batsman finished with an average of 86.57 and strike rate of 96.03.
Former @BCBtigers ODI captain Mashrafe bin Mortaza conveyed all faith on his successor @TamimOfficial28 as the new leader of the country in 50-over cricket.https://t.co/VN3vdMcf8h#BCBTIGERS #BCB #TIGERS #BANGLADESH #CRICKET #BANGLADESHCRICKET #MASHRAFE #TAMIM #IQBAL #MORTAZA
— Dhaka Tribune Sports (@Sport_DT) May 5, 2020
Later, Tamim and Mashrafe both discussed Bangladesh’s opportunity of making it to the semi-final in the tournament, if only the duo had have lifted their individual performance by 25%.
Bangladesh travelled to the UK last year for the world event with high hopes only to finish as the number eighth team in the standing.
Both Tamim and Mashrafe were below-par and as a result, Bangladesh won only two games in the competition.
“If we [Mashrafe and Tamim] could lift our performance by 25% then we could have played in the semis. We missed the way you take wickets with new balls and secondly I couldn’t make a partnership with Shakib. So if we could play a bit better them we would have played the semis easily,” Tamim told to Mashrafe during the show.
