Three reasons why BPL 2019 could be Mashrafe Mortaza's last in the tournament

Bangladesh Premier League’s (BPL) sixth edition has come to an end with Comilla Victorians winning their second title by defeating three times champions Dhaka Dynamites in the final. This year the tournament has witnessed a huge jump in its fan base with the popularity of the event spreading to every corner of the country. Many matches witnessed nail-biting finishes which led to even more excitement and craze among the Bangladeshi fans who are known for their love for cricket. The prestigious tournament invites the best of cricketers from the world to showcase their talent and serve different franchises in the best possible way. BPL is a great platform for the developing Bangladesh cricketers who share dressing rooms with some of the great players of the game and gain knowledge of cricket. The hosting of six successful editions of the T20 league has given fruitful results to Bangladesh Cricket as the team has made a name for itself in the international arena and has shown commendable performances over the past few years. So, the conclusion of any major tournament brings with it some heartbreaking news of players retiring or assumption that some player won’t be picked for next year’s edition. Similarly, the sixth edition of BPL could be the last for Bangladesh’s 50-over format skipper Mashrafe Mortaza. Since the inaugural season of the 20 over league the 35-year-old has switched loyalties three times, finally settling with Rangpur Riders. He was the leading wicket-taker for his franchise, however, his chances to represent them or even any other team in the tournament looks bleak in the future. Let’s have a look at the reasons why the allrounder would not feature in the future BPL tournaments. Age Factor Mashrafe Mortaza. (Photo Source: Twitter) Mashrafe Mortaza is now 35 years old which is considered as an age where an athlete’s body could not cope up with the game pressure and as a result, he has to hang his boots. Most of the cricketers retire in the mid-30s as they consider it as an ideal age to bid adieu to the game they have worshipped. Once considered as one of the fastest bowlers Bangladesh has ever produced, Narail express was known to touch 140s on regular basis. However, as Mash got older his pace also dropped but his effectiveness with the ball remained the same. But the time has come now for Bangladesh’s ODI captain to give way to youngsters in the 20-over league as they are better suited for the fast-paced game than him. Clearly, he can be seen struggling to chase the ball in the outfield and T20 demands a fitter player who is young and fast on the toes. Fitness Issues Mashrafe Mortaza in a chat with Tom Moody, head coach of Rangpur Riders. (Photo Source: Twitter) Fitness has always been the issue for the six-footer who had to take temporary exemption from the 5-day cricket in 2009 following continuous back injuries. Mortaza’s career has always been hampered by injuries, however, his grit and determination to play for his country kept him going. The right-handed bowler has undergone a total of ten operations on his knees and ankles. With the history of injuries to so many body parts combining with the age factor, the problem to cope up with fitness is going to get even bigger from here on. Even today, Bangladesh’s most capped ODI player is in and out of the team owing to injury concerns. So, considering this as a major factor, the end to his illustrious career is not far behind and he may opt to not feature in the T20 league ever again. Joining Politics Captain Mashrafe Mortaza & coach Tom Moody pose with the BPL 2017 trophy. (Photo Source: Twitter) Mashrafe Mortaza, in the recently concluded 2018 Bangladesh General Elections, contested in the election from Narail-2 constituency under victorious Awami League’s banner. He eventually won the seat with a huge margin of more than two lakh votes over his rival and thus becoming the first active player to become a Member of Parliament. With this, he has a huge responsibility on his shoulders to serve the country in a different field now. Definitely, the Narail born cricketer turned politician can’t do both the things of serving his constituency and playing cricket parallelly as it might turn cumbersome. He will have to respect the decision of his people who have shown faith in him and has to quit the game in order to devote full time serving them. Get the latest Cricket News and updates, Match Predictions, Fantasy Cricket Tips and lots more on CricTracker.com.

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Three reasons why BPL 2019 could be Mashrafe Mortaza's last in the tournament

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