My life changed in three hours
Image : Collected
|| CF Correspondent ||
Auction of two historical bat for the help of coronavirus sufferers
"How a life can change within three hours, I got realized after defeating Australia." Mohammad Ashraful remembering the memory of defeating Ricky Pontings Australia side in 2005, 18 Jun in Cardiff by his maiden century.
Despite having Shakib Al Hasan, Mushfiqur Rahim, Tamim Iqbal, Mashrafe Mortaza, Ashraful is said to be the most talented cricketer in Bangladesh. Ashraful is the first world star of the country.
Being lockdown in the house for coronavirus, without any sports, with lots of times, Ashraful is practicing on fitness besides giving time to his dear daughter. Also keeping his eyes on the coronavirus epidemic situation. Also praying to Allah to save Bangladesh and the world from this difficult moment.
His human heart is crying as the number of deaths is increasing day by day due to the coronavirus. Weeping to see the suffering of the people of the country. He wanted to auction his historical two bats, so that he can do something good for the day-laborer of the country.
To give relief to the needy people of the country Ashraful is auctioning his century bat with which he got the first Test century as the youngest Test batsman in the history and also the century bat with which he got the century against Australia in Cardiff which lead to the Bangladesh team's first-ever victory over Aussies.
Suddenly two bats are being put up for auction. However, the plan was to auction the bats at his old age.
"I had plans to auction bats, hats, stamps. But not now, at the end of my middle age. But the epidemic of the coronavirus forced me to put it up for auction right now. As it is now due to corona, more difficult times will come after two or three months. Then the condition of the poor people will be more deplorable. So to stand by their side I want to auction the best two bats of my career. One is as the youngest batsman to score a Test century and the other one is the which I used to beat Australia in Cardiff. Yet, I have a lot more to auction. ” Ashraful said to a Bengali daily.
Not only Ashraful, Shakib Al Hasan and Mushfiqur Rahim has also picked up their bat to auction. Shakib is auctioning his bat with which he had a great run in the 2019 World Cup and Mushfiq picked up his double century bat against Sri Lanka.
The 'base price' of Mushfiq's bat, the first double century of Bangladesh in Test cricket, could be BDT 10 lakh. The 'base price' of Shakib's bat has been set at BDT five lakh.
Ashraful wants his world record bats to be worth more. Because the needy people will get benefit from this.
"The higher the price the bat will be sold at auction, the more the poor will be benefited. So I want to hold the base price of my bat which I used to make world record a little higher." Ashraful added.
Already, two companies have contacted with Ashraful for raising the bats in auctions. The former skipper, however, is contacting England to raise the bat which he used to become the youngest Test centurion in Test cricket history in the auction.
He had an innings of 114 runs against the players like Muttiah Muralitharan and Chaminda Vass in Colombo on September 8, 2001. That was his debut Test out of his 61 Test career. He played 212 ball and managed to have 16 boundaries. Also in 2005 June 18, Ashraful gave Bangladesh an incredible win which surprised the whole cricket world. Against the pace bowling attack of McGrath and Gillespie Bangladesh won by five-wickets where he played a brilliant 100 form 101 balls innings with 11 fours. Surprising but true, that century was his debut century in ODI also.
Regarding the match, Ashraful said, "What was unimaginable even three hours ago, came down to reality after three hours. Life changed in that one innings. Got fame overnight."
Another country's best cricketer, Mashrafe, has always saluted Ashraful's humanitarian qualities. That is why the most successful skipper of the country said about his dear friend, "Ashraful is a good man. I have seen him many times to jump for the benefit of the people."
