‘Will Play 2023 WC Final Under Shakib’: Mortaza on Captain’s Ban

Bangladesh ODI captain Mashrafe Mortaza has taken to Instagram to support Shakib Al Hasan after his two-year ban.

Bangladesh ODI captain Mashrafe Mortaza put an Instagram post supporting teammate Shakib Al Hasan after he was handed a ban by the ICC for violating the Anti-Corruption Unit’s code of conduct. Shakib had been contacted by Indian bookie Deepak Aggarwal, and had failed to report this to the ACU.

Mortaza led the Bangladesh cricket team in all formats until injuries started to slow him down. He relinquished captaincy of T20 and Test formats to Shakib, but led the country during their 2019 World Cup run. Mortaza had been approached by bookies in 2012, but had reported the contact to the ACU.

Mortaza took to Instagram to write:

View this post on Instagram

দীর্ঘ ১৩ বছরের সহযোদ্ধার আজকের ঘটনায় নিশ্চিতভাবেই কিছু বিনিদ্র রাত কাটবে আমার। তবে কিছুদিন পর এটা ভেবেও শান্তিতে ঘুমাতে পারব যে, তার নেতৃত্বেই ২০২৩ সালে আমরা বিশ্বকাপের ফাইনালে খেলব। কারণ নামটি তো সাকিব আল হাসান...!!!

A post shared by Mashrafe (@teammashrafe) on Oct 29, 2019 at 11:54am PDT

Mortaza wrote that he will be spending some sleepless nights over what has happened, but will sleep peacefully after knowing that Shakib will be the one to lead the country in the 2023 Cricket World Cup.

I can sleep peacefully thinking that under his leadership we will play in the World Cup finals. Because the name is Shakib Al Hasan...!!!

Mashrafe Mortaza

Along with Mortaza, international teammate Mushfiqur Rahman also wrote an emotional post on Facebook and Instagram which saw him sympathise with Shakib.

Age level.. international... over 18 years of playing cricket together... very sad to even think about playing without...

Posted by Mushfiqur Rahim on Tuesday, October 29, 2019