2024-03-01 12:14:19
Mushfiqur Rahim’s face opened because he has runs in the bat. Mushfiq, who avoided the media for a long time, came to the press conference during the two days of the BPL. After winning the match against Fortune Barisal in Chittagong, he came to the press conference and said, ‘I came to the press conference after many days. You can do what you ask.’
Yesterday he played a brilliant innings of 47 runs and took the team to the final. At one point of the press conference, he said, ‘I came to the press conference because I played well after many days.’ There was a lot of discussion about whether or not to come in this press conference. There is also criticism. It is not the case that you have to appear at a press conference just by performing. You can face the media at any time if you want to be a representative of the party.
But the star cricketers come in front of the media whenever they want because they do what they want. Therefore, even if their response is requested as required, it is not known. Mahmudullah, for example, has not yet spoken about his retirement from Tests. After his century against South Africa in the 2023 World Cup, he came to the press conference in Mumbai and said, ‘I came to the press conference after many days.’
Mushfiqur Rahim announced his retirement from T20 cricket on 4 September 2022. He announced his retirement from international T20 on his official page on social media. After playing the ninth season of BPL, he did not come in front of the media. This time he is playing BPL in Barisal’s jersey. He took the team to the final.
But after a year and a half, he made an explosive comment. He indicated that he did not retire of his own volition. But after a long time, there was a question whether it was necessary to talk about these things. In the press conference, Mushfiqur Rahim said in the gap of a question, ‘Did you take leave, brother?’ “Yes, I did (post about retirement),” he said with a smile.
The discussion stopped there, but on the way out of the press conference room and went to the dressing room, he spoke more openly about his international T20 career. Asked if he regrets retiring, he replied, ‘No, no…I don’t regret it. What’s there to regret…?’
What he said later is a clear indication that he had to retire under compulsion, ‘I just ask one question, did I retire from T20 by my own will? That’s all there is to say. When I retired, take a look at the month before. There is nothing more to say.’
Mushfiqur retired from international T20 after failing badly in the 2022 Asia Cup. In his retirement message, he wrote, ‘Today I am retiring from T20 international cricket career. But I will continue to play Tests and ODIs for Bangladesh. Hope I can bring more for the country in these two formats.’
The next two BPLs went well for him. Last season he played the role of finisher for Sylhet Strikers and scored 357 runs, average 39, strike rate 132 in 15 innings. This time Mushfiqur’s runs in 14 innings average 33 and 123 strike rate 367. Mushfiqur also gave the message that he has not become ‘stalled’ in this format. He also challenged any cricketer on the issue of fitness.
Mushfiq said, ‘How to give the standard of top fitness? Age and performance…? I think one’s fitness and performance is better than age and performance…. Age is just a number. Otherwise players like Jimmy Anderson who played 188 or so Tests (187) would have been rare. He is still doing what he does best.’
‘I personally don’t play to prove anything to anyone. Thanks to those who took me in, especially Tamim and the owners of Barisal, to reciprocate the faith they have put in me, I hope I can repay them with a performance.”-Mushfiqur added.