'I hundred percent respect his decision' - Mashrafe Mortaza defends Mushfiqur Rahim's move to skip Pakistan tour

Mushfiqur Rahim has stirred up quite a controversy by refusing to tour Pakistan with the Bangladesh team, despite repeated calls from BCB officials including president Nazmul Hasan. Bangladesh, who previously toured Pakistan for T20I series and one Test, will once against go back for the one-off ODI and the remaining Test of the two-match series.

The Bangladeshi board had given its players the option of choosing to go to the tour of Pakistan, as the hosts had promised and delivered on the presidential level security. Mushfiqur initially had given the reason for his family members being worried for his well being and asked him not to travel to Pakistan. Now after a successful tour, the Bangladeshi board once again asked Mushfiqur to reconsider and travel to the country.

‘He got the option from the board’: Mashrafe Mortaza

BCB chief Nazmul Hasan had given a veiled threat saying that all contracted players are bound to travel wherever the team has to play. He asked players to keep the country first and everything else behind. And now the veteran batsman has found support in the form of one of the icons of Bangladesh cricket and former captain, Mashrafe Mortaza.

“I hundred per cent respect Mushfiqur’s decision. He got the option from the board – someone can skip the tour if he does not wish to go. When the team management or the selectors sit with the players, they need to ask every single player if he is willing to go. If I am considered in the team, I will also let them know if I will go or not,” Mashrafe was quoted as saying by Cricket Pakistan.

He also mentioned that it was the duty of players to consider whatever the board decided. He mentioned that he will be there wherever the board needs him to be there. “I always feel this – the board is our guardian. It will take a decision on us, thinking not once, twice, or thrice, but ten times. It is our duty to consider the board’s decision final,” he concluded.

Mushfiqur said that the board should have respected his decision of not touring Pakistan given that he had refused a PSL contract earlier and that the things were pretty clear and not going to change in the future.