Mortaza on Rohit no-ball decision, bowing out of World Cup and the challenges that await

Moshrafe Mortaza was speaking with the media after Bangladesh were knocked out of the World Cup following their defeat to India. You can also listen to the full press conference in the audio widget above. Q. Do you think (inaudible) should have more responsibility in big matches like this? MASHRAFE MORTAZA: Well, someone has to attack. When you chase 300, someone had to attack. He was fine, I think, today. He was very intent. But unfortunately got out again after getting sick. But I think as I said before, luck was not with us. We just kept losing the wickets. Q. In your fielding there were a lot of errors, and it seemed again that you couldn’t really cope with the dimension of the ground. Was playing here again a challenge? MASHRAFE MORTAZA: Playing anywhere is a challenge, once you’ve faced a team like India or bigger sides is always a challenge, but I think at some stages we’ve been very good. Sadly, Suresh took the game from us, also. I have to say that Rohit was brilliant today. I don’t think so. I guess we lost too much, but I don’t think MCG was an issue. [caption id=“attachment_2162975” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Moshrafe Mortaza. AFP[/caption] Q. Reaching the quarterfinal is a great thing for Bangladesh cricket and you have reached great heights. If you had to take home two great positives from your journey so far, what two positives you will take home? MASHRAFE MORTAZA: I think except today batters have batted really well throughout this tournament, which is much needed for us, and hopefully they’ll continue because a very tough year is coming for us, one. And I think the confidence we got, hopefully it will continue. Q. How impressed were you with India today, and would you expect them to defeat Australia or Pakistan in that semi? MASHRAFE MORTAZA: Well, I don’t know who will come in the semis from Australia and Pakistan match, but definitely it will be a very good match. Whoever plays against India, it will be a very good match. Q. A disappointing end to the tournament, but overall it has been a fairly successful tour, World Cup. How do you see this affecting the state of cricket in Bangladesh and encouraging new cricketers and new fans? MASHRAFE MORTAZA: Yeah, definitely. It was brilliant tournament for us. Obviously the way we played today, it wasn’t great, but most of the players in our side from 2008, we haven’t had any cricket in Australia, so it was really an ask for us. But the way the boys added up the wicket and condition, I feel very proud as the captain of this team, and hopefully our boys will take it in the next series. Q. There have been instances in the past, there has been Australia who’s been unbeaten in the World Cup and lifted the Cup. Looking at India’s performance, should oppositions be fearing them now? MASHRAFE MORTAZA: Yeah, the way India is playing now, it will be a challenge for the other teams, but as I said before, I don’t know who’s going to come up. No one knows that. After Australia and Pakistan match, everyone will know who’s going to face India, but as I said, it will be an exciting match in Sydney. Q. Mashrafe, what do you think when the appeal was negative? Do you think the match could have been more competitive had Rohit Sharma got out at that stage? MASHRAFE MORTAZA: It could have been. Against India always we know that we have to take wickets, otherwise it is going to be very difficult. At that stage if he got out, Rohit, it would be great, but I think I can’t say anything in here, but you all have seen what’s going on there. Q. Could you talk about the spell between overs No. 11 to 35 when your bowlers kept India in check? What was impressive for you in how your pacers and spinners operated in the 25-over spell? MASHRAFE MORTAZA: I think our plan was to stop singles. Yes, they can hit three, four or six, but our plan was to stop singles, and I think our plan was pretty good. We are a bit unlucky that we couldn’t get a wicket at that time. If we could get one wicket at that time it would be much better for us, but the way Rohit and Suresh played, it was brilliant. Hopefully it will carry on for them, and good luck to India. Q. What do you think that the moment of the match shifted towards India when you were bowling, at what stage? MASHRAFE MORTAZA: Yeah, we always knew that they’ll come hard after 35. They have been brilliant after 35. They take the calculated risk, and they’ve had success. Once again, we couldn’t bowl with our plans, and that was the moment, during bowling time. Q. Raina? MASHRAFE MORTAZA: Yeah, Raina is always effective. I think Rohit was brilliant. He got the hundred, a brilliant hundred. Yeah, both of them, I think.