Shakib, Mushfiq, Tamim and teammates pay tribute to Mashrafe

Bangladesh ODI skipper Mashrafe Mortaza has announced that he will step down as ODI skipper after Bangladesh's third ODI against Zimbabwe. 

Mashrafe had been appointed captain in 2014 when Bangladesh were going through a tough time. He was appointed as the ODI and T20I skipper but in 2017, Mashrafe retired from T20Is and was only lead the ODI side since. 

After his announcement, his long-time teammates paid tribute to the most successful skipper in Bangladesh ODI history. 

Ace allrounder Shakib Al Hasan posted in his official Facebook account about his experiences with Mashrafe. 

"You epitomize what a true leader and warrior is meant to be. Despite all the obstacles which came your way, you are always encouraging us to believe in ourselves and play with heart and pride." Shakib wrote in his FB post. 

Left-handed opening batsman Tamim Iqbal was also full of praise for the ODI captain: "What Mashrafe Bhai has done for Bangladesh cricket cannot be forgotten by any cricketer or fan. We should all remember where we were in 2015 and where we came in 2019 because of his guidance. In ODIs the whole worlds now looks at us as a competitive team and a lot of credit goes to him. From me, I wish him all the best and I hope we get to see him play cricket for a long time from here on in."

Right-handed middle-order batsman Mushfiqur Rahim added that there will never be a replacement for Mashrafe: "We will not ever find another Mashrafe Bhai. I would also add that he's a part of our family and he's not just like a big brother, but a massive part of our family. I will miss him as a captain because after he became captain, he changed our team. Not just inside the field, but outside it as well, he changed a lot of things for the better. I hope he continues playing for a long time and hopefully he can continue to do a job for the country." 

Mahmudullah Riyad, another of Bangladesh's fabled five foundations, said that there was no doubt Mashrafe was a legend. 

"When Mashrafe bhai was the captain, I enjoyed it a lot. He has captained for about six years. He has had a lot of success. I wish him the best for the next step of his life. There is no doubt that he is a legend," Mahmudullah said. 

Bangladesh batsman Mohammad Mithun also bade him farewell, 

"The volume of success says how good he is as a captain. Best wishes to him. Hope he will stay fine," He said.

Meanwhile, pacer Mustafizur Rahman posted his thoughts about Mashrafe in twitter: