Mashrafe Moratza will no longer lead Bangladesh in any format as he stepped down from his position as ODI skipper of the team after completing a 3-0 whitewash against Zimbabwe on Friday in Sylhet. The 36-year old pacer has already retired from T20Is and he no longer features in the Test matches.
Mortaza’s decision comes in the wake of the Bangladesh Cricket Board announcing that the Zimbabwe series would be his last as leader, after which he will have to prove his form and fitness to be considered for selection. However the man on his part said that the decision to step down was his alone, while adding that he will remain available for selection.
“I am leaving the Bangladesh captaincy,” Mortaza said on the eve of the third ODI in Sylhet. “The third ODI [against Zimbabwe] is going to be my last game as captain. I took the decision myself. As a player, I will keep trying to give my best if I get the opportunity. I wish the next captain all the best. I believe that Bangladesh team will reach the next stage under him. I will try to give him all the support through my experience. The three available senior players each have the ability to lead the side. Hope the BCB takes the best one of them.”
Mortaza has been, by far, Bangladesh’s most successful captain in the 50-over format. He has led the team 88 times – a national record – and won 50 of those games, also the highest for a Bangladesh captain.
Most notable among Mortaza’s achievements as skipper include leading them to the quarter-final of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2015 in Australia and the semi-final of the ICC Champions Trophy in 2017. Bangladesh also picked up famous bilateral series wins over Pakistan, India and South Africa under his leadership.