I started to realise that they wanted me to retire: Mashrafe

Ex skipper Mashrafe Bin Mortaza recently claimed that he was forced to retire from T20Is back in 2017. Mashrafe didn't really reveal the story until he talked with The Business Standard (TBS) and poured his heart out whatever he had in his mind.

During the Sri Lanka tour in 2017, a sudden announcement shook the cricket fraternity. The then skipper Mashrafe Bin Mortaza had announced to retire from T20I just before the T20I series began. 

Many believe that Chandika Hathurusingha was the reason behind his T20 retirement. Was he the only reason why Mashrafe retired?

Mashrafe had just reached Sri Lanka during the second day of the second Test, it was also Bangladesh's 100th Test match where they won convincingly. He was at the hotel lobby and had a discussion with coach Chandika Hathurusingha that made him understand what future awaits for him in the shortest format of the game. 

"The second day of the second Test match was going on on the day I landed in Sri Lanka. I didn't go to my room and waited for my teammates in the lobby. I was still in my travel kit.  After I had met them, I had a meeting with Hathurusingha and (Khaled Mahmud) Sujon bhai. What Hathurusingha told me was very surprising to me. It was all a personal attack. But I remained patient and tried to understand why he's saying all these," Mashrafe told The Business Standard. 

"Then the board members started to arrive and ask me about my decision. As the T20Is were approaching, I started to realise that they wanted me to retire."

Mashrafe informed BCB president about his decision and apparently he was not shocked. It was like they all knew it was coming all along.

"Then I informed Papon Bhai about my decision. He wasn't surprised at all and took it very normally. Then it all became crystal clear," he added. 

"After that, I spoke to my family about this. I only informed my teammates just before the team meeting," he concluded. 

Mashrafe picked up a wicket for 30 runs in that match and Bangladesh beat Sri Lanka by 45 runs.

 (Read the full interview here)