Mashrafe motivated to prove himself: Dhaka Platoons coach

Mashrafe Bin Mortaza is highly motivated to show his credentials as he is set to return to the competitive cricket with the upcoming Bangabandhu Bangladesh Premier League (BPL), said Dhaka Platoons coach Salahuddin.

The Bangladesh national team’s ODI captain, who keeps him away from all sort of news after the ICC Cricket World Cup, was roped in by Dhaka Platoons during the draft.

Despite being a player of A+ category, no team showed any interest to take Mashrafe before Dhaka recruited him in the last round of the draft. It’s a bit unusual situation which Mashrafe never faced in his career.

Mashrafe’s personal form in the World Cup was not satisfactory as he could take just one wicket and after the global event he was not in cricket, which is believed to be the reason that the franchisees didn’t show their interest to pick him up.

But this is the thing which could motivate him to come all guns blazing, said Salahuddin, the only local coach in the BPL this year.

“We have taken Mashrafe because we believe he will play the whole tournament. We think he would perform well,” Salahuddin said as Mashrafe was practicing bowling on Saturday, for the first time since the World Cup ended, at National Academy Ground in Mirpur.

“He is bowling for the first time today after the World Cup. There is some problem in rhythm which is natural if you bowl after so many days. It will be okay after bowling some days in the net. But the big advantage is his experience. He brings experience in the team, which you can’t deny. I know him well, when he plays, he gives 100 per cent for the team.”

Salahuddin said he saw the passion in Mashrafe to do well in the tournament.

“Mashrafe is more motivated than anyone else. He has been practicing personally to get him fit. He is trying to be 100 per cent fit. He has been talking to physio continuously to manage his injury problem,” the Dhaka Platoons coach added.

Salahuddin, however, said that they didn’t have any option to take another A+ player after roping in Tamim Iqbal and therefore they had to call Mashrafe in the last round of the draft.

“I can’t say why the other teams didn’t call him in draft. As per the process, we can’t take him since we got Tamim as our A+ player.”