Mushfiqur Rahim has responded to criticism of Bangladesh’s veteran cricketers, stating that great team performances in T20 cricket require both experienced hands and the fearlessness of youth.
Mushfiqur, 36, cited the achievement of Fortune Barishal, who defeated Rangpur Riders in the second Qualifier on Wednesday to go to the BPL 2024 final. Aside from Mushfiqur (36), Barishal has two other players over 35: Mahmudullah (37) and Shoaib Malik (41). All three have made major contributions this season.
“Didn’t you say before the tournament that Barishal is the ‘team of the old’?” Mushfiqur said. “Didn’t you say that T20s can’t be won with experience? I think this is a wrong concept. You need experience in every format. New players will come, the older ones will go, but they will combine well to build the team. We want to leave a legacy, and we want the likes of [Towhid] Hridoy and Tamim [Tanzid Hasan] to leave a legacy when they become senior players [for Bangladesh]. It is supposed to be smooth sailing.”
Mushfiqur called for fitness and performance to be prioritized over age while evaluating players.
“It [the criticism] doesn’t motivate me,” he said. “It hurts me. I can guarantee you that I am better than most players in terms of fitness. I can write it down. More than age, I think the criteria should be fitness and performance. Age is just a number.”
All three matches between Barishal and Rangpur this season have been framed as Shakib Al Hasan vs Tamim Iqbal fights, with fans booing both players on many occasions. The pair’s problems were originally revealed last year when BCB president Nazmul Hassan stated that Shakib and Tamim were not on speaking terms. When Tamim retired, unretired, and then quit as ODI captain, Shakib attacked him in a TV interview.
“They both deserved better,” Mushfiqur stated. “To be honest, if the attention is focused on the two players, the rest of us can relax. They will have their ‘battle’ while we watch. They’re both legends. They have contributed significantly to Bangladesh cricket. If they have to hear this ‘bhua bhua’ [a Bengali booing cry], the rest of us should be buried in the earth.”
Mushfiqur also expressed satisfaction with Bangladeshi players dominating the BPL batting and bowling rankings.
“It is a positive sign. The top five run-getters and [four of the top five] wicket-takers are all from Bangladesh. Such consistency doesn’t happen by chance. If we can deliver in crunch moments, it means we have cool nerves. Such a thing is helpful for the cricketer and his team.”
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