Happy Birthday, Mashrafe

Mashrafe Bin Mortaza, former skipper of Bangladesh ODI team, has turned 39 on Wednesday.

Mashrafe, popularly known as ‘Narail Express’, is also a parliament member from Narail-2 constituency. 

He was born on October 5, 1983 at Mohiskhola area of Narail town. His second son Shahel Mortaza was also born on the same day.

The most successful Bangladesh ODI skipper stepped down as captain in 2020. 

Mashrafe joined the national team in late 2001 against Zimbabwe and represented Bangladesh before having played a single first-class match.

He led the team in one Test and seven ODIs between 2009 and 2010. But injuries forced him to sit out at times.

Mashrafe used to be considered one of the fastest bowlers produced by Bangladesh. He became only the fifth bowler in history to take 100 ODI wickets as a captain.

He is a useful lower-middle order batsman with a first-class century and three Test half-centuries to his name. His career has been hampered by 15 injuries and he has undergone 10 operations on his knees and ankles.

Mashrafe was ranked as one of the world's most famous athletes by ESPN WORLD FAME 100 in 2019.

He is the most successful captain of Bangladesh in ODI and T20I.

He is also the first Bangladeshi pace bowler to bowl at 148 km/h during a Test against New Zealand at Hamilton in 2001.