Cancer-survivor Mosharraf keen to compete in NCL

Mosharraf Hossain Rubel, the all-rounder who earlier this year diagnosed with a form of brain cancer, is upbeat about his chances of playing in the forthcoming National Cricket League, scheduled to start from 5 October, reports UNB.

Mosharraf started gearing up ahead of the most prestigious First-class cricket event of the country - National Cricket League (NCL). On Thursday, he attended a personal training program to get fit before the event.

“My life is like war to me, and I want to fight this war as there is no other way to live. I am trying to fight as hard as possible. I want to survive,” Mosharraf told the media on Thursday at the national academy ground.

The all-rounder is yet to complete his chemotherapy cycle, which he must in order to beat cancer. At the same time, he wants to play cricket as the physicians gave him a green signal to go back to action.

“I did not finish my chemotherapy yet. But the physicians said I can go back to playing cricket as I am feeling better now,” Mosharraf told the media.

Like the other cricketers who are waiting to play in the national league, Mosharraf has to go through a fitness test as well. He thinks it will be tough for him to score 11 or more in beep test, which was set as a benchmark by the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB).

“It will be tough for me, but I’ve to do it. I’m working hard and am confident to pass the fitness test,” the 37-year-old all-rounder told the newsmen.

Earlier in March 2019, it was revealed that the 37-year-old Mosharraf Hossain Rubel was diagnosed with glioma, a type of tumour that starts in the glial cells of the brain or the spine.

He underwent successful surgery to his brain tumour on 17 March 17 at Mount Elizabeth Hospital in Singapore.

Mosharraf represented Bangladesh national male team in five ODIs but failed to replicate his quality performance of the domestic circuit, where he played 112 First-class and 104 List-A games, in which, he took 392 and 120 wickets respectively.

He has 19 five-wicket haul in First-class cricket as well.

With the bat, Mosharraf hit two centuries and 16 half-centuries in First-class cricket and eight half-centuries in List-A cricket.

If he can come back to cricket now, it will first instance of any Bangladeshi cricketer to do so after suffering brain tumour related illness.