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ICC CRICKET WORLD CUP

March 18, 2015

Mashrafe Mortaza

MELBOURNE, VICTORIA

Q. Mashrafe, any concerns about the crowd at MCG? Have you spoken to your team about any plans to cope with it? How do you plan to?
MASHRAFE MORTAZA: Not really. We know that there will be 95,000 people that will be coming to the grounds, and most of them will be Indian supporters, but as a professional cricketer we can handle it. And obviously Bangladesh supporters will be there, so we cannot ask equal, but hopefully we'll be fine.

Q. You took 4 for 38 in that 2007 game, and there are three batsmen who played in that match as well. As a group, how much inspiration will you be taking from that and what will you be telling the younger players?
MASHRAFE MORTAZA: Yeah, that was a long time ago, I think, eight years back. But, yes, we have some good young players on our team, and they're performing throughout this tournament. So hopefully they can come up tomorrow in the middle and deliver their best.

Q. After the win against England you had a very emotional speech about the support you've been receiving from your fans over the years and how they've been with you through thick and thin. How important is this following back home, and how important is it for the team for a big match like this?
MASHRAFE MORTAZA: Yeah, it is very important. I mean, the last 15 or 17 years they have been always with us. Doesn't matter if we win or lose, they always come to the field and keep supporting us. Again, this time they're from Bangladesh or those living in Australia, they always came to the field and supporting us. That was amazing to see. I'm sure they'll do it tomorrow as well.

Q. You talked about the last 15 years. Over the last 15, 20 years cricket has emerged as the biggest sport in Bangladesh, and it's happened right in front of you. You guys have contributed a great deal in making cricket the No. 1 sport over football. Can you talk about that and how important football still is for maybe you and Bangladesh?
MASHRAFE MORTAZA: You said the last? How important?

Q. Football is still quite popular, but it's the number two sport in your country.
MASHRAFE MORTAZA: See, from 1997 I think cricket is starting to gain popularity. After that once we played in 1999 World Cup most of the people start loving cricket. Before that we used to see India and maybe Pakistan, Australia. But after 1999 all the people know that Bangladesh is playing now, so start supporting cricket. From there still people love football, but I think now it's the No. 1 game in Bangladesh. I mean, as a player I feel that, and all the people are supporting all the cricket right now. Yes, the last 15 years I think we've had ups and downs. But at the moment it's going good, and hopefully we'll keep doing what we're doing now.

Q. Definitely tomorrow's match is a big match for you. You have to do too many things to win tomorrow's match, but can you specify the one key point that you have to do to win that match? I'm asking you to focus on one point that is most important?
MASHRAFE MORTAZA: I mean, our focus is to playing all out good cricket. We can't change one or two players can't change the whole game. So we're the team now as a fielding, batting group, as a bowling group. Even once we field it, once we're all doing good together, we'll do well. So we are focusing on everywhere, basically, not just in a particular area.

Q. India have not lost any game in this World Cup. Do you think it is possible for Bangladesh to beat India?
MASHRAFE MORTAZA: You never know basically. It depends on a day how we're playing cricket. So hopefully we'll play our best and let's see what happens after that.

Q. How much support have you received from locals I suppose particularly after that win over England? Are you expecting that to continue tomorrow?
MASHRAFE MORTAZA: Yeah, we had a good match against England, and obviously after that we played quite good cricket in New Zealand. Unfortunately, we couldn't win. Hopefully we'll come back tomorrow and have a good game again and let's see after that what is happening.

Q. Last year Bangladesh was in the midst of poor form. Since your arrival as captain things have looked up. What have you personally changed and what has changed in the team the last few months?
MASHRAFE MORTAZA: I would say last year was a bit difficult for us because it's not that we haven't played good cricket but we couldn't finish it out. That was, I think, why we lose more matches last year. But this year I think we just started still longer to go. We have some few exciting matches against Australia, India, maybe South Africa. So it is important now that we're concentrating on the World Cup and playing good cricket. I think all cricket should go to the boys the way they're training the last two months, the way they've quickly adapted to this kind of wicket. So I think it should go to the boys.

Q. How have you changed?
MASHRAFE MORTAZA: I actually haven't changed anything. As I said, it should go to the boys. They've adapted this week very well. And I say that challenge is still going on because 2015 just started.

Q. Going from 1999, just to add to that, you know, there is quite a bit of debate going on over the associate nations and Bangladesh came very close to this whole argument whether they should retain their Test status. What kind of support do you think these associate nations should get?
MASHRAFE MORTAZA: I think it's very difficult for me to answer this question. We just only can do it just playing on our cricket. Concentrating on our cricket. That's what I can do, and that all depends on the ICC what they're thinking about this. And I think as the countries are doing well at the moment, even in this World Cup they played well. As far as our cricket is concerned we are concentrating on tomorrow's game. The last five, six matches were pretty good for us, and hopefully tomorrow we'll do our best.

Q. Two questions, talking about tomorrow's game, India is feeling very good, very positive and very excited about tomorrow's game. How are you feeling about it, equally?
MASHRAFE MORTAZA: Yeah, definitely. It is going to be a very exciting match for us because we feel very proud and very good in ourselves. The boys are very relaxed. Hopefully they'll give their best shot tomorrow Insh'Allah.

Q. How has the intensity, the mood as well as your focus changed from the group stage until now in the quarterfinals?
MASHRAFE MORTAZA: The group stage was more important for us because we knew that we have to go through because back home all people are expecting that we can beat some bigger side and go through. That was more pressure, I think. From tomorrow, I think as I said, the boys are very relaxed. They just want to perform on the biggest ground. They have played already on this ground, but that match wasn't good for us. Hopefully we'll play our best shot tomorrow, and the boys are really excited.

Q. Is so far you've played fearless cricket but tomorrow is a knockout game. As captain, do you think the fearlessness could take a back seat because the difference can creep in because it's a knockout game?
MASHRAFE MORTAZA: No, I think whatever we have done the last few matches we have to plan like this because we have been successful. Yes, still can't say what is the plan in here, but we have to go by the plan, whatever the plan is. As I said before, we'll try our best to perform tomorrow.

Q. A lot of teams say that Indian batting is very strong. What does MS Dhoni have to do to his batting lineup? What do you think? What is your assessment as a cricketer of Dhoni as a batsman?
MASHRAFE MORTAZA: He's driven. As a One Day batsman, he's doing everything he can for India the last five or six years, maybe even more than that. He's a genuine match winner player. But overall I think Indian batting is, I think, the best in the world, so it is a challenge for us. But if you're asking about Dhoni, he's a genuine match winner.

Q. You've played here against Sri Lanka. What was that pitch like and what do you expect tomorrow?
MASHRAFE MORTAZA: It was flat. We are playing the same pitch, I think. It was totally flat on that day. Hopefully tomorrow it will be a high-scoring match. I don't know. We have to bowl well definitely. It is the biggest challenge to bowling for Indian batsmen. Also I think Indian bowlers are doing pretty good. I think we have to bat it as well as we did against New Zealand or England or any other side.

Q. There is quite a bit of history between India and Bangladesh in the world events. In 2007 you beat India. 2011 India beat Bangladesh and then India lost in the Asia Cup. Is there always extra motivation when you play India?
MASHRAFE MORTAZA: It is difficult to say. But in 2007 is long way past. I think it's not going to help us. Even 2011 we lost. It's also not going to help us. I think cricket depends on the particular day and how you play that day. So we have hope that tomorrow will come out a good plan and execute our plan well so that it will be an exciting match.
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