Retirement of Mortaza

Bangladeshi player Mashrafe Mortaza has decided to withdraw his name from the list of nationally contracted cricketers for the year 2020, Nazmul Hasan, the president of Bangladesh Cricket Board, announced after rumors emerged of the 36-year-old’s retirement. The cricket operation chairman of BCB, Akram Khan, had recently said Mortaza’s contract renewal” totally depends on him” as the board is not sure as to what Mortaza is thoughts are on his international career.

Nazmul Hasan’s offer

“Mortaza called the BCB president and said that he is not sure about taking the national contract. He wants it to be given to some youngster,” said Nazmul Hasan on Sunday. “The Bangladesh Cricket Board wanted to give him a farewell but now it seems the player is not interested. Mortaza wants to continue, even playing domestic cricket. Earlier during the World Cup in England, I had told him that we want to give him a farewell match in Dhaka but now it seems that we have to talk to him again to know a clear picture”, added the BCB president. 

Although the cricketer is coming back from a 14-stitch injury, he did not announce his retirement plans. By arriving for the Dhaka Platoon vs Chattogram Challengers game on Monday, Mortaza’s family members fulled further rumors of retirement.

A big NO for the farewell

Mortaza stated that he never said that he wanted to play in the national team, and as for playing cricket was concerned, it was his own decision. He also clarified that he doesn’t want any big-bash farewell, that’s been already offered to him by BCB president, and that he just wants to continue playing cricket at the moment, be it for a domestic team.

Mortaza’s love for the game

“Cricket is not bigger than life but obviously, it’s a big part of my life,” Mortaza stated. For a player who chooses to play cricket with 14 stitches just because of his love for the game, it must be difficult on his part to say goodbye to the cricket world. And with that after living a life of cricket for more than 18 years saw him undergoing eight operations on his knee just to prolong his career. Mortaza has to retire someday and he will do that sooner than we think.