Bashar calls it quits

Bangladesh’s most successful captain Habibul Bashar on Monday announced that he was retiring from all cricket.
“It has been a terrific journey for me and after two decades of international, first class and club cricket I feel I have reached the end of the road. The Port City League (PCL) T20 in Sharjah next week will be my last competition as a player,” said Bashar in his letter to the Bangladesh Cricket Board.
“It is never easy to give up the game you love so much and especially in my case this moment is very emotional as cricket has been my life,” said the 37-year-old cricketer who was not considered for any national selection ever since he led a rebel group that joined the banned Indian Cricket League (ICL) in 2007.
A sweet timer of the ball, Bashar scored three centuries and a staggering 24 fifties in Tests after making his debut against India in Bangladesh’s inaugural Test in November 2000.
Better known as ‘Mr. Fifty’ in cricket fraternity, the Kushtia batsman also hit 14 half-centuries in 111 ODIs he played.
“I thank the BCB for giving me the honour of captaining Bangladesh and for the support throughout my career. I will cherish the memories of my time in the Bangladesh dressing room and my heartfelt gratitude goes out to all the players, coaches, team officials and staff I have had the privilege of knowing and working with,” said the soft-spoken right-hander.
“There will always be a special place in my heart for the fans for their warmth and genuine affection.
“As I bid bye I also feel excitement at the way the Bangladesh cricket team is progressing. I wish them every success,” said Bashar who was at the helm when the Tigers pulled of a famous one-day win against mighty Australia at Sofia Garden in Cardiff in 2005.
BCB president AHM Mustafa Kamal said Bashar’s legacy would inspire future generations of Bangladeshi cricketers.
“We are indebted to this fantastic cricketer who had instilled belief in the players and inspired them to perform. Under his able leadership Bangladesh had tasted the first Test victory and had progressed to the Super Eight stages of the 2007 Cricket World Cup. With his batting he showed others the way to dominate and score at international level. We hope that he will continue to be associated with Bangladesh cricket after his retirement.”
FACTFILE
Specialty: Right-handed batsman and occasional off-break bowler
Test Debut: Against India at Dhaka on November 10, 2000
ODI Debut: Against Sri Lanka at Sharjah on April 6, 1995

Courtesy of The Daily Star