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Mashrafe Mortaza. Photo by Ahmed Salahuddin BD.

Top 10 Outstanding Facts about Mashrafe Mortaza

Mashrafe Bin Mortaza was born on 5th October 1983. He is a former Bangladeshi international cricketer and politician who captained the Bangladesh national cricket team in all three formats. Widely regarded as Bangladesh’s best ODI and T20 captain of all time, he played his final ODI at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium on March 6, 2020.

As a captain, he became only the fifth bowler in history to take 100 ODI wickets. Mortaza’s career has been hampered by fifteen injuries, including ten operations on his knees and ankles. Mashrafe is also the first pace bowler in Bangladesh to bowl a delivery that exceeded 148 km/h which he did in a Test against New Zealand in Hamilton in 2001. 

1. He is known as the ‘Prince of Hearts’

Mortaza was born in the Narail district of south-west Bangladesh. From a young age, he enjoyed sports like football and badminton, and he sometimes skipped school to go swimming in the nearby River Chitra.

He has been described as a friendly and animated character who enjoys riding his motorcycle. He used to jump from a nearby bridge onto the tops of passing cargo barges. Not only that, but he’s extremely popular in his hometown, earning him the title “Prince of Hearts.”

2. Mortaza’s career was marred by injuries

Mortaza’s career has since been marked by numerous injuries and comebacks. Following his first four tests, he missed the series against Pakistan in January 2002 due to a back injury. During his recovery, he suffered a knee injury while skipping and had to have surgery. As a result, he was sidelined for another eight months.

In the first three years of his international career, he only played 12 Tests. He has had operations on his legs, knees, and ankles, which have taken a heavy toll on his body and forced him to miss more matches than he has played since his debut.

3. Mortaza schooled at Jahangirnagar University

Jahangirnagar University. Photo by Syed Sajidul Islam. Wikimedia

In 1999, he received his Secondary School Certificate (SSC) from Narail Government High School, and in 2001, he received his Higher Secondary School Certificate (HSC) from Narail Victoria College.

Mortaza received his bachelor’s degree from Jahangirnagar University’s Department of Philosophy in 2003-04. As a child, he was more interested in cricket, particularly batting. Despite this, bowling is now his main strength, and his speed has earned him the moniker “Narail Express.”

4. Mashrafe Mortaza’s net worth is estimated to be more than $1 million

The player attributes the majority of his net worth to his cricketing career. A cricket player earns money from a variety of sources, including sponsorship and advertising deals. Mashrafe made a good living as a player for the Kolkota Knight Riders of the Indian Premier League. According to sources, he signed for $600,000 with the club.

5. Mashrafe captained the team at the 2007 World Cup

Bangladesh’s captain Mashrafe Mortaza. Photo by Ahmed Salahuddin BD.

6. He was hammered by Brendan Taylor

Brendan Taylor hit Mortaza for six off the final ball of the third ODI, giving Zimbabwe the victory.  With Zimbabwe already leading the series 3-1, Mortaza was dropped for the series finale, which Bangladesh won. Mortaza took five wickets with an average of 29.20 in four matches.

After losing to Zimbabwe, Bangladesh won three one-day internationals against Kenya. Mortaza was crucial in the second victory, coming in with the score at 120/7 and a 185-point lead. He led his team home with a 43-run stand, farming the strike to keep Bangladesh at bay.  Mortaza finished the final ODI with career-best bowling figures of 6/26 from 10 overs, ensuring Bangladesh was chasing a low target. 

His ODI figures are also the best of any Bangladeshi cricketer.  Mortaza was the world’s highest wicket taker in one-day internationals in 2006, with 49 wickets. The haul was the most ever by a Bangladeshi in a calendar year, and the 17th most for anyone. 

7. Mortaza is an aggressive player by nature

Mashrafe holding a bat. Photo by Ahmed Salahuddin BD. Wikimedia

Mortaza is a useful lower-middle order batsman. Pitches in Bangladesh are generally slow and favorable to spin bowling. The domestic circuit is dominated by spin bowlers, and former Bangladesh coach Jamie Siddons has suggested that the pitches discourage the development of fast bowlers.

Despite this, Mortaza became the second Bangladesh bowler to reach 100 ODI wickets and the team’s first fast bowler to do so in April 2008. Before the arrival of Rubel Hossain, Mortaza was widely regarded as the fastest bowler Bangladesh had produced. Despite being primarily a bowler, Mortaza is an aggressive batsman, as evidenced by his 67.25 Test match strike rate.

8. Mortaza was forced to retire after injuring his right leg

Though Mortaza has not retired from Test cricket, he was forced to stop playing after injuring his right leg while captaining the side for the first time against the West Indies in 2009. He has not played a test match for his country since then. BCB has not allowed him to play in the longer format due to his injuries and multiple surgeries. 

After the tour of Sri Lanka, Mortaza announced his retirement from Twenty20 internationals on April 4, 2017. On April 6, 2017, he played his final T20I against Sri Lanka at R. Premadasa Stadium.

Though Mortaza has not officially retired from one-day international cricket, he is no longer playing regularly for Bangladesh and has not been named in the squads for recent series against the West Indies and New Zealand. During an interview with a cricket news website on June 5, 2021, Mortaza revealed that the Bangladesh Cricket Board was rushing to bid him farewell and forced him to retire.

9. Mortaza ran in the country’s 11th parliamentary election

Mashrafe Mortaza in Chittagong. Photo by Nerston.

10. He’s a happily married man

Mashrafe’s family. Photo by Nerston. Wikimedia