Dhaka, Sept 29 (bdnews24.com) – Former captain Khaled Mashud Pilot On Monday said he retired from international cricket after falling out of favour with the selectors.
Mashud said he had a strong desire to end his 13-year long international career by appearing for Bangladesh for one last time and he had waited long for a recall.
But, he said, he was ignored, because of the wrath of the selectors.
"I am a victim of the wrath of the selectors, that's why I was not considered for the national team for long. I don't want to blame the board, which showed enough courtesy, for my retirement," Pilot said a crowded press conference at Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium.
The Bangladesh Cricket Board Sunday accepted the long-serving wicketkeeper's retirement letter after Pilot tendered the letter on Thursday.
The letter read: "I intend to retire from all forms (Tests, ODIs & T20 Internationals) of international cricket with immediate effect. I have made this decision after a lot of soul-searching and this is a very emotional moment for me."
The 32-year-old keeper was more critical of the current selection committee led by Rafiqul Alam more than the previous one headed by Faruque Ahmed, which had dropped him from the squad for the World Cup in the West Indies.
"Particularly, the existing selection committee (including Rafiqul and two former captains Akram Khan and Naimur Rahman Durjoy) cannot avoid the responsibility for my exit from the international cricket," said Pilot, as he is popularly known.
He hammered a six in the first ball of the final over against Kenya on way to Bangladesh's ICC Trophy triumph in Kuala Lumpur in 1997.
He said the previous selection committee at least had the courtesy to let him know about his exclusion, but the current selectors did not even care for that.
The most successful wicketkeeper for Bangladesh said that the management should make moves to cut what he said was communication gap.
He also said the atmosphere in the national team was not right.
Mashud said despite finishing finished fifth highest scorer in the last National Cricket League, he was ignored during the home series against South Africa early this year.
His recent exclusion from the 24-member provisional squad for both series against New Zealand and South Africa also prompted him to call it quits, he added.
The retirement means no member of the Bangladesh's ICC Trophy winning team remains in the national squad. Spinner Mohammad Rafique, all-rounder Khaled Mahmud and former captain Akram Khan earlier retired officially.
Only Rafique and Mahmud had the privilege of walking out of international cricket by playing international matches at home. Akram had declared his retirement at a press conference.
Asked why the selectors were angry with him, Mashud said it was because he had revealed the Reebok scam involving the selectors and differed with them on many issues.
He said he had been offered to become a junior selector but refused it as he wanted to play at least this season's domestic cricket.
"My father was a footballer with a long 20 years of career and I also want to follow in my father's footsteps and complete my cricket career spanning 20 years this year," said the Rajshahi player.
The right-handed batsman urged the board to follow the systems other boards have where giving the players are given time to think about their career.
He said if he was made a selector in future, he would try to unite the cricketers and bring the atmosphere that now prevailed in Rajshahi team whose players were always committed and cordial.
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