Mashrafe Mortaza facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Mashrafe Bin Mortaza
মাশরাফী বিন মোর্তজা
Mortaza at a rally (2019)
Member of Parliament
In office 3 January 2019 – 6 August 2024
Preceded by	Hafizur Rahman
Succeeded by	Vacant
Constituency	Narail-2
Personal details
Born	(1983-10-05) 5 October 1983 (age 41) Narail, Khulna, Bangladesh
Political party	Bangladesh Awami League
Spouse	Sumona Haque Sumi
Children	2
Residences	Dhaka, Bangladesh
Education	Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy
Alma mater	Jahangirnagar University
Occupation	Politician, cricketer
Signature
Personal information Nickname Mash, Koushik, Narail Express Height 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in) Batting Right-handed Bowling Right arm Fast Role Bowler International information National side Bangladesh (2001–2020) Test debut (cap 19) 8 November 2001 v Zimbabwe Last Test 9 July 2009 v West Indies ODI debut (cap 54) 23 November 2001 v Zimbabwe Last ODI 6 March 2020 v Zimbabwe ODI shirt no. 2 T20I debut (cap 4) 28 November 2006 v Zimbabwe Last T20I 6 April 2017 v Sri Lanka T20I shirt no. 2 Domestic team information Years Team 2002–present Khulna Division 2009-2010 Kolkata Knight Riders 2012–2013 Dhaka Gladiators 2015–2016 Comilla Victorians 2017 Rangpur Riders 2019–2020 Dhaka Platoon 2020 Gemcon Khulna 2022 Minister Group Dhaka 2023–2024 Sylhet Strikers Career statistics Competition Test ODI FC LA Matches 36 220 57 335 Runs scored 797 1787 1458 3309 Batting average 12.85 13.74 15.67 15.75 100s/50s 0/3 0/1 1/6 1/8 Top score 79 51* 132* 104 Balls bowled 5990 10922 8970 16427 Wickets 78 270 135 459 Bowling average 41.52 32.93 35.05 29.04 5 wickets in innings 0 1 0 7 10 wickets in match 0 0 0 0 Best bowling 4/60 6/26 4/27 6/26 Catches/stumpings 9/0 62/0 24/0 102/0 Medal record Men's Cricket Representing  Bangladesh ACC Asia Cup Runner-up 2012 Bangladesh Runner-up 2016 Bangladesh Runner-up 2018 UAE Asian Games Bronze 2014 Incheon Team Source: ESPNcricinfo, 7 January 2024

Mashrafe Bin Mortaza (born 5 October 1983) is a famous Bangladeshi politician and former cricketer. People often call him the Narail Express. He was the captain of the Bangladesh national cricket team in all three types of cricket games.

Mashrafe also served as a Member of Parliament for the Narail-2 area from 2019 to 2024. Many consider him the most successful captain for Bangladesh in cricket history.

He started his Test cricket journey against Zimbabwe in 2001. He quickly impressed coaches with his skills. In 2006, he took the most wickets in One Day International (ODI) matches worldwide. He was also named "Man of the Match" in a game against India during the 2007 Cricket World Cup.

Mashrafe led Bangladesh to the quarterfinals of the 2015 Cricket World Cup for the first time. After that, his team won important ODI series against Pakistan, India, and New Zealand at home. These victories helped Bangladesh become a strong ODI team on their home ground. His leadership also guided Bangladesh to the semifinals of the 2017 ICC Champions Trophy.

Cricket Career Highlights

Mashrafe has played a huge part in Bangladesh becoming a strong cricket nation. He is known for his fast bowling and powerful batting.

Domestic Cricket Success

Mashrafe has had a very successful career in domestic cricket leagues.

Playing in the Indian Premier League

In 2009, the Kolkata Knight Riders team bought Mashrafe for a large sum of money in the Indian Premier League (IPL) auction. He played one match for them.

Achievements in Dhaka Premier League

Mashrafe has also played for the Khulna Division in Bangladesh's local cricket games. In 2018, he made history by taking four wickets in four balls while playing for Abahani Limited. This was his first "hat-trick" in List A cricket. He ended that season as the top wicket-taker.

Leading Teams in Bangladesh Premier League

Mashrafe has won the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) title multiple times as a captain. He led the Dhaka Gladiators to victory in 2012. Later, he captained the Comilla Victorians to win the BPL title in 2015. He also won the 2017 BPL with the Rangpur Riders. This made him the most successful captain in the tournament's history. In 2023, he led the Sylhet Strikers to the BPL final.

Bangabandu T20 Cup Performance

In the 2020 Bangabandu T20 Cup, Mashrafe played for Gemcon Khulna. During the tournament's knockout stage, he achieved his first "five-wicket haul" in Twenty20 matches.

International Cricket Journey

Mashrafe's journey in international cricket began with a bang.

Early Days and Impressive Start

Mashrafe was one of the fastest bowlers to come from Bangladesh. His speed and aggressive style caught the eye of former West Indian fast bowler Andy Roberts. Mashrafe made his Test debut in November 2001 against Zimbabwe. He took four wickets in that match. This was also his first ever first-class match, which is very rare for a player. He also debuted in One Day International (ODI) cricket later that month.

Mashrafe in a training session, 2009

He quickly became known for his fast bowling, often reaching speeds over 145 km/h. He often started the bowling for Bangladesh.

Battling Injuries

Throughout his career, Mashrafe faced many injuries, especially to his knees and back. These injuries often kept him away from playing for long periods. For example, he missed the 2011 Cricket World Cup due to a knee injury. Despite these challenges, he always worked hard to recover and return to the field. He has had many operations on his knees and ankles.

Key Successes and Records

After recovering from injuries, Mashrafe made a strong comeback. In 2004, he played a key role in Bangladesh's win against India in an ODI match. He was named "Man of the Match" for his all-round performance. In 2005, Bangladesh achieved their first ever Test series victory against Zimbabwe, with Mashrafe playing a vital part.

In 2006, Mashrafe took a career-best six wickets for 26 runs in an ODI against Kenya. This was the best bowling performance by any Bangladeshi cricketer in ODIs at that time. He ended 2006 as the world's highest wicket-taker in ODIs, with 49 wickets.

World Cup and Vice-Captaincy

Mashrafe playing for Bangladesh at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in 2009

Mashrafe played a crucial role in the 2007 Cricket World Cup. He was the "Man of the Match" when Bangladesh defeated India, taking four wickets. Bangladesh reached the second round of the tournament. After the World Cup, he was appointed the vice-captain of the Bangladesh team.

Becoming Captain

In 2009, Mashrafe was appointed captain of the Bangladesh team for tours to the West Indies and Zimbabwe. His first Test match as captain was a historic win for Bangladesh against the West Indies. This was Bangladesh's first Test victory overseas. However, he got injured during that match and had to step down as captain.

Return and Continued Leadership

Mashrafe fell to the ground during his first bowling spell in a match against Afghanistan

Mashrafe continued to face injury challenges but always returned to play. In 2010, he regained the captaincy of the ODI team. He led Bangladesh to their first ever victory over England in any form of cricket.

2015-2016: Quarterfinals and Series Wins

Mashrafe became man of the match for his all-round performance against England in Dhaka

Mashrafe led Bangladesh to the quarterfinals of the 2015 Cricket World Cup for the first time. They beat strong teams like Scotland, Afghanistan, and England in the group stage. After the World Cup, Bangladesh had a very successful period. They won home series against India, whitewashed Pakistan (3-0), and reached the finals of the 2016 Asia Cup.

2017: Champions Trophy Success

Mashrafe captained Bangladesh to the semifinals of the 2017 ICC Champions Trophy. They achieved this by winning against New Zealand and drawing against Australia. This was another major achievement for Bangladesh cricket.

Mashrafe bowling against India in the 2015 Cricket World Cup

2018-Present

In the 2018 Asia Cup, Bangladesh reached the finals by beating Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Afghanistan. They narrowly lost to India in the final match. In December 2018, Mashrafe played his 200th ODI match, becoming the first Bangladeshi cricketer to achieve this milestone.

He was named captain for the 2019 Cricket World Cup. In March 2020, Mashrafe announced he would step down as Bangladesh's ODI captain after a series against Zimbabwe. Bangladesh won that series 3-0, giving Mashrafe his 50th win as an ODI captain.

In January 2021, he was not included in the ODI squad for the first time since his debut. In March 2021, the Weforum named him among 10 leaders from South Asia in their Young Global Leaders list. This was for his leadership in cricket and his work to help people in his hometown of Narail through the Narail Express Foundation.

Playing Style and Impact

Mashrafe plays a shot against England in Mirpur

Mashrafe was known as one of Bangladesh's fastest bowlers. He regularly opened the bowling for his team. He is also a useful lower-order batsman, meaning he bats towards the end of the team's batting lineup. He has scored a century in first-class cricket and three half-centuries in Test matches.

Despite pitches in Bangladesh often favoring spin bowlers, Mashrafe became the second Bangladeshi bowler and the first fast bowler to take 100 wickets in ODIs. His aggressive bowling style and accuracy have often been compared to famous fast bowlers from other countries.

Mashrafe's batting style is known for his powerful shots. He holds Bangladeshi records for the highest strike rate in Tests and ODIs. He also scored the most runs in a single ODI over (26 runs, including four sixes).

Mashrafe hugged by a fan who breached field security parameters

Throughout his career, Mashrafe has faced many injuries. He has had multiple surgeries on his knees and ankles. In March 2020, he became the first fast bowler and third player for Bangladesh to take 700 wickets in his professional career.

Retirement from Formats

Mashrafe has not played Test cricket since 2009 due to continuous injuries. The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) did not allow him to play in the longer format of the game because of his injury history.

On 4 April 2017, Mashrafe announced his retirement from Twenty20 International (T20I) matches. His last T20I game was on 6 April 2017 against Sri Lanka.

In March 2020, he confirmed that he would step down as Bangladesh's ODI captain after the series against Zimbabwe. Although he has not officially retired from ODI cricket, he has not been playing regularly for Bangladesh since then.

Personal Life

Mashrafe with his family.

Mashrafe Bin Mortaza is married to Sumona Haque Sumi, whom he met while studying. They got married in 2006 and have two children, a son and a daughter.

Political Career

Mashrafe entered politics in 2018. He won a seat in the parliament for the Narail-2 area in the 2018 Bangladeshi general election. He won by a very large number of votes.

In February 2019, he became a member of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Youth and Sports Ministry. He also serves as the youth and sports secretary for the Bangladesh Awami League political party. In January 2024, he was appointed as a "Whip" of the Jatiya Sangsad (Bangladesh Parliament). His term as a Member of Parliament ended on 6 August 2024 when the Parliament was dissolved.

Achievements and Awards

Mashrafe has received many awards and honors for his contributions to sports and society.

National Honors

National Sports Awards

• 2010: Received the National Sports Awards from the Government of Bangladesh for his amazing achievements in sports.

Mashrafe Mortaza receives the People's Choice award by Prothom Alo in Dhaka on May 28, 2018

National Board of Revenue Awards

• 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019: Recognized as one of the "Highest Taxpayers in Sports Category" by the Government of Bangladesh.

Meril Prothom Alo Awards

• 2017: Won "Outstanding Achievement in Sport" and "Sports Award of the Year".
• 2018: Received "Outstanding Achievement in Sport" and the "People's Choice Award".

Award for Lifetime Achievements

• 2019: Honored with a "Lifetime Achievement Award" by Amader Shomoy.

Other Recognitions

• 2015: Awarded the Kool-BSPA "Real Sportsman Award".
• 2018: Named "Eminent Personalities of the Year" by Mercantile Bank.
• 2019: Recognized as a "Successful Entrepreneur" by Bangladesh Digital Social Innovation Forum.

International Honors

• 2017: Named "Best Bengali Sportsman of the Year" by ABP Group of India.
• 2023: Became an Honorary Life Member of the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC).

Narail Express Foundation

Mashrafe launched the Narail Express Foundation to help his hometown of Narail. The foundation aims to provide modern facilities, improve education, create jobs, increase cultural activities, offer sports training, develop tourism, and make Narail an environmentally friendly town.

Images for kids

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