Mashrafe admits playing in BPL ‘not ideal’ for him

Sylhet Strikers' captain Mashrafe Mortaza has admitted that it's not ideal that he's playing in the ongoing Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) with a knee issue.

"You cannot explain everything every time. So, what I feel that it's not an ideal situation for me," Mashrafe said during a post-match press conference on Tuesday after his side lost by four wickets against Rangpur Riders. 

Mashrafe opined, "It depends on the team about whom they will consider [for the playing eleven]. But what you are saying, in ideal situation it should be the case… [of younger players playing instead of him]." 

Mashrafe has been having trouble staying healthy since he resumed playing cricket eight months ago. The pacer last played in the Dhaka Premier League (DPL) which was in May 2023, prior to the BPL.

In their inaugural match against Chattogram Challengers on Friday, he was criticised for bowling with a truncated run-up. Although he took a wicket with his opening delivery, this just served to emphasize the poor quality of the competition.

Earlier in the day, former captain of Bangladesh Mohammad Ashraful criticised Sylhet Strikers, a BPL team, for fielding an unfit Mashrafe in the starting eleven, claiming that Mashrafe's involvement denigrated the competition.

Ashraful went on to say that Mashrafe's involvement is preventing young players from seeing a competitive game, such as pacer Rejaur Rahman Raja.