Mustafiz not senior enough to choose formats, says Khaled Mahmud
BCB
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Bangladesh cricket team director Khaled Mahmud has spoken out against left-arm bowler Mustafizur Rahman's refusal to play Test cricket for his country.
Former Bangladesh captain and current Bangladesh Cricket Board director stressed that Mustafizur is not a senior player who has the option of playing specific forms for the country and also that the national team are in need of the best fast bowlers in red-ball cricket.
BCB president Nazmul Hasan has spoken on numerous occasions about allowing cricketers to choose their preferred version of the game.
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Mahmud, on the other hand, disagreed, claiming that the option was only provided to veteran cricketers like Shakib al Hasan, Tamim Iqbal, Mushfiqur Rahim, and Mahmudullah.
“Papon bhai [BCB president Nazmul] told us to discuss with the cricketers the formats they want to play but it was only for the senior cricketers, not for everyone. Now if a player like [Mahmudul Hasan] Joy comes up to say he only wants to play ODI and not Test cricket, it doesn’t look right. How old is Mustafizur and how long has he played for Bangladesh? He is not Shakib, Tamim or Mushfiq who have given a lot for the country playing the three formats for so many years,” said Mahmud to the media at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium Saturday.
“It is important to play for the country and there is nothing bigger than playing Test cricket. It might be that you earn more in white-ball cricket but Test cricket has its own value. Cricket started with Test cricket. I do not know why Mustafizur doesn’t want to play this format. The board is to decide who will play which format. You cannot tell your office that you can only work on this or that. You are an employee. The president had always given the option to choose to the senior cricketers only,” Mahmud added.
Bangladesh is preparing to face Sri Lanka for a two-match Test series, with injury concerns in the fast-bowling department, while Mustafizur is playing for Delhi Capitals in the ongoing Indian Premier League Twenty20.
