Miraz has been an unsung hero of Bangladesh cricket: Mashrafe

Former captain Mashrafe Mortaza has showered accolades on Bangladesh's all-rounder Mehidy Hasan Miraz, describing him as a 'complete package' and an 'unsung hero' in their cricket journey. Mashrafe, a cricketing icon in Bangladesh, commended Mehidy's batting flexibility and highlighted his remarkable feat of scoring ODI hundreds at No.8 or lower last year.

Miraz's versatility was further evident in his recent century as an opener against Afghanistan in the Asian Games and an unbeaten 67 in the World Cup 2023 warm-up match against Sri Lanka at Barsapara Stadium in Guwahati.

Despite Miraz's capabilities, Mashrafe opted for Litton Das and Tanzid Hasan Tamim as the opening batters for the upcoming mega event on Indian soil.

"Miraz is a complete package as the management trusts him to bat at any position and he bowls 10 overs. And it's not in the last two to three months; it has been over the last two years," Mashrafe acknowledged.

While expressing his strategic choices, Mashrafe emphasized Litton and Tanzid Tamim as the specialist openers, with Mehidy providing a versatile option. He credited Miraz as an unsung hero for consistently scoring runs in various batting positions. Mashrafe suggested that Litton and Tanzid don't need to perform in every match but should focus on delivering their best cricket in key games.

In a call to Bangladesh's batters, Mashrafe, who last played international cricket in March 2020, urged them to capitalize on flat pitches in the World Cup and convert their starts into significant contributions.

"Tanzid has played well as an opener in the recent past and handled spin well against the Afghans. Hence, the management could send him to open against Afghanistan. The top order will be challenged overall, but given the flat wickets in India, if the batters can carry on after good starts, it will help the team," Mashrafe advised.