Birmingham: Bangladesh skipper Mashrafe Mortaza wants his players to stay calm amidst hype surrounding the India clash which will decide his team’s fate in the World Cup.
Mashrafe played a big role in Bangladesh’s only win over India in the 2007 World Cup at Port of Spain, where he was adjudged man of the match.
“It is very important to stay relaxed. Hype is such that it becomes difficult for each player to stay calm. It is important to do the things we do on the field properly. Initially nerves play a role and it’s important to control it. It is better to stay away from outside pressures,” Mortaza said at the pre-match press conference here Monday.
India’s matches against Bangladesh of late have been filled with a lot of acrimony, crass TV commercials and print advertisements on both sides. The fans of both countries have a go at each other on social media and Mortaza does not want that to happen.
“I don’t think the talk on social media will help us a lot, and we want to stay away from that. If we play well and win, it will be a big achievement,” Mortaza stated.
Talk about 2007 World Cup and Mashrafe said that former skipper Habibul Bashar’s guidance meant a lot.
“Obviously (the victory) is a good memory. Talking about 2007, on those days Sumon bhai (Bashar’s nickname) guided me a lot,” Mortaza said with a hint of smile on his face.
Mortaza is expecting that Mustafizur Rahaman, who has troubled India in the past, maintains his good form which has seen him get 10 wickets in the tournament.
“If Mustafizur is in a good state of mind and he gets his cutters going, he will do well. It is important to stay in the match and deal with the situations that come up,” asserted the Bangladeshi skipper.
PTI
