‘Mashrafe has a great cricketing brain’ – Grant Flower
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‘Mashrafe has a great cricketing brain’ – Grant Flower

Apart from his elder brother Andy, no other Zimbabwean batsman could surpass him in scoring runs; Grant Flower was not only one of the all-time greatest performers of Zimbabwe, in his time, he was one of the most prolific performers of world cricket. Watching the development of Bangladesh cricket closely over the decades, Grant Flower has his opinion upon the cricketing phenomenon of Bangladesh.

Grant Flower

Remembering the old days with Bangladesh, Grant Flower said, “During the ICC Trophy of 1990, I watched team Bangladesh for the first time. We defeated them in the semi – final. We had a bunch of excellent cricketers then. At that period of time, Bangladesh had not have any infrastructure for cricket; they were moving astray in world cricket. Now a days it seems that everything came out rightly for Bangladesh.”

However the former Zimbabwean batsman Grant Flower computed it as inevitable for Bangladesh to improve in cricket because of the immense popularity of this sport in the country, “I assumed Bangladesh cricket team would flourish and make good progress someday; they have such passionate cricket followers throughout the country. Perhaps they took time a little bit longer. But they have a very nice team now. No one can ignore this team right.”

When asked about the specialty of Bangladesh as a team, Grant Flower appreciated the selection process of the team which facilitates keeping some valuable performers together for a long time in the team, “There has been a consistency in team selection. Selectors picked up some cricketers who could make the team performance improved over time and I have heard that Bangladesh coaching staffs prepare them very well prior to any match. They ensure every bits of preparation.”

Present Bangladesh one day skipper Mashrafe Bin Mortaza made his debut against Zimbabwe back in 2001, Grant Flower uttered his notes of praise for the then young pacer, “He was someone superb; an excellent fast bowler with lots of pace and movement. Mortaza could swing the ball too in difficult conditions. I was amazed watching someone like him from Bangladesh. He could move the ball in adverse wickets for fast bowlers in Bangladesh.”

“And above all these, he is lion hearted. I always watched him bowling with a heart full of passion” – added Grant.

The skills of Mashrafe diminished with the great sufferings of injury he went through in the course of his career; expressing his empathy for tiger skipper, Grant Flower said, “Everyone knows why he could not come out as a great fast bowler of time. After all these things, Mortaza is lucky to run his career till now.”

While talking about Mashrafe Bin Mortaza as a captain of the side, the former Zimbabwean skipper reckoned, “I had seen Mortaza to lead from the front. He possess a great cricketing brain and never afraid of taking brave decisions or deliver himself under pressure. He takes decisions with excellence. I watched him very closely as an opposition last year when Bangladesh beat Pakistan in the bilateral series.”

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