The Bangladesh Cricket Board is mulling a grand farewell for one-day international captain Mashrafe bin Mortaza through a one-off ODI against Zimbabwe in Dhaka next month.
In September, Bangladesh will host Afghanistan in a lone Test match, followed by a tri-nation T20I series involving Afghanistan and Zimbabwe.
The BCB is planning a solitary ODI against Zimbabwe in between the Test and tri-series, or following the two series.
However, consent from the man himself, Mashrafe, is pending.
According to a close BCB source, hosting the game will cost the board a good amount of money and the arrangements cannot be made without Mashrafe’s confirmation.
Mashrafe’s retirement from international cricket has been a topic of discussion in the cricket fraternity for the past few months, and the BCB was looking to host a proper send-off for the Bangladesh skipper.
Schedule was however, a challenge, as Bangladesh till February next year had no ODI in the Future Tours Program.
Given that the discussion regarding Mashrafe’s retirement has been strong, and that the cricketer himself has been thinking over it, the BCB will make an effort to arrange the ODI with Zimbabwe.
“This however, involves heavy finances. We will need to find if Zimbabwe will agree to play or not. If they do, then the board will have to have a budget of some Tk60 lakhs as there will be logistical and other expenses involved,” said a BCB high-up requesting anonymity, Wednesday.
“But before anything, we will need to have consent from Mashrafe. We cannot just move ahead arranging the game and then find Mashrafe not willing to retire at the moment. The president [Nazmul Hasan] is likely to speak to him about this [Wednesday] or [Thursday],” the BCB personnel added.
Mashrafe only plays ODIs for Bangladesh and his retirement from the format has been nothing less than a saga.
The first time the subject had emerged when Bangladesh played their third ODI of the home series against the West Indies in Sylhet.
Back then, it was said the game will be the right-arm pacer’s last at home, though Mashrafe had never confirmed it.
During the World Cup 2019 in England and Wales in May-July, discussion was high as to whether the veteran would hang up his boots following the event, more so because both his and the team’s performance was way below par.
It had emerged then that the 35-year old was looking to play a game at home before bowing out for the final time.
Now that the BCB is thinking of a way, it will all depend on Mashrafe himself.