Bangladeshi fans' strike in Narail due to Mashrafe’s omission
The fans of the Bangladesh Cricket team came out in the streets in order to stage a strike, protesting against the exclusion of their premier fast bowler http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Mashrafe-Mortaza-c1917 from the ICC World Cup squad, in his hometown Narail.
On the basis of his fitness, Mortaza was omitted from the 15-man squad that was announced on the 19th January, 2011. Mashrafe’s supporters protested his omission and burnt the effigies of the selectors and the coach.
Golam http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Nabi-c78373, a protest leader had already told a rally of some 1,000 fans in Narail, "We will enforce a dawn to dusk general strike on Thursday in protest against dropping Mortaza. Bangladeshis want to see him in the World Cup squad."
The right-arm fast bowler injured his knee, playing a domestic match for his Abahani Club against Dhaka premier division, and hasn’t recovered yet. It was a partial tear of the reconstructed ligament on his right knee.
The city Police has said that as long as the rally is peaceful, they will not take any action against the protesters.
Over the years, the 27-year old has been the premier strike bowler for his team. In fifty over cricket, he has scalped 146 wickets at 30 apiece and the economy rate of 4.6 is a testament of his accurate bowling.
The chief selector http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Rafiqul-Alam-c83273 said in an interview, "There is little chance that Mortaza will be fit before the World Cup. Mortaza, however, has the chance to be included in the team later if he fully recovers and an opportunity arises."
The convener of selectors added, "But very sad to say he is nowhere near to fitness at this moment. Medical reports say from next week he will have shadow bowling with two or three steps and from the February first week he will have unrestricted bowling.
And there is a question of his cricketing fitness which includes rhythm, match practice and confidence.”
Bangladesh announced their unit on the 19th of January for the upcoming ICC World Cup. Mortaza was replaced by Nazmul Hossain, the Sylhet Division medium-fast bowler. Hossain has made 34 appearances for the national side, grabbing 38 victims at
33.
Shakib-ul-Hassan was retained as the captain of the side, after he led the Bangladeshi tigers to their first series victory against a top-flight team, when they whitewashed the touring http://www.senore.com/Cricket/New-Zealand-c754 by a significant margin of 4-0.
Bangladesh is the co-host of the ICC World Cup 2011 with India and http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Sri-Lanka-c758. The curtain-raiser is going to be played between them and India on the 19th of February. The Bangladeshis will be looking to repeat their heroics in this World Cup as
well, as http://www.senore.com/Cricket/India-c750 the last time these two sides played in a World Cup, back in 2007.
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