Prospects of playing in Champions Trophy drive Mashrafe to work harder

Mashrafe Bin Mortaza was contemplating calling time on his career.

But the captain has changed his mind after Bangladesh qualified for the Champions Trophy.

He has now fresh motivation to drive him.

Mashrafe wants to continue playing at least until the tournament in England in 2017.

Though he did not take any final decision, he was thinking of not dragging too long his injury-plagued career.

All that has changed after Bangladesh qualified for the Champions Trophy by beating India in the second ODI. He is now feeling a renewed passion.

“Though I did not seriously consider retiring, thoughts of hanging up the boots were definitely in the back of my mind.

“I had decided not to prolong my career. But now that we have qualified, let me work hard for a few more years,” Mashrafe said, speaking to bdnews24.com.

“After the World Cup, Champions Trophy is the most prestigious tournament. It will be great if I can play in this tournament,” he added.

At just 31, he, however, is far from the age when players retire. He will be 35 during the next World Cup in 2019. It is not unusual to play international cricket at that age.

But the skipper has been blighted by injuries almost throughout his 14-year long career but sheer grit and the passion to play for the country have helped him to redeem himself.

The strapping pace bowler did not give up even after seven surgeries on his knees.

Over the last eight months, Mashrafe led the Tigers to a new height, but he knows he will have to give up at one point.

He has also not yet decided to quit after the 2017 Champions Trophy.

“It is hard to predict what will happen to one’s career in future. So I don’t want to say anything definitive.

“I am only saying, I am feeling inspired again to play in the Champions Trophy.

“I want to work little harder to keep myself fit so that I can continue to play until that time,” Mashrafe said.