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ICC CHAMPIONS TROPHY

May 26, 2017

Masrafe Mortaza

Edgbaston, Birmingham

Approved by Tim

Q. One of the concerns I suppose on your team is the fielding. For all the improvements, the fielding isn't quite as good as the other disciplines. Is that something you're concerned about at all?
MASRAFE MORTAZA: Well, in your bad day, you have to be concerned with everything. But, yes, even last match we dropped four catches. It can't happen in that sort of biggest stage. So I hope that our fielding will be all right. And obviously batting as well as bowling.

Q. Are you concerned at all that you're quite reliant on Rahman's bowling?
MASRAFE MORTAZA: Sorry?

Q. Mustafizur Rahman's bowling, are you as concerned at all that you're quite reliant upon him?
MASRAFE MORTAZA: Not really. Mustafizur is doing really well. If you look at last three years, he's been doing really good job for us. And, yes, he had an injury and after he got the operations and he come back very strongly. So I guess that he'll play a big role for us.

Q. Do you feel Bangladesh are at their peak as an ODI side? And is that any added pressure to you because quite often you go into these tournaments or World Cups with a few expectations. This time there are some, aren't there?
MASRAFE MORTAZA: Yeah, look, yes, once you're playing for your country, you always have some pressure. But I think that this tournament, the group we've got is very hard -- Australia, England and New Zealand. It's not going to be easy.

But the things that we have to be concerned is on our own game. And the way we played the last two years, we have to think about it, and we have to execute our plans and let's see what happens.

Q. Sometimes when you play seven batsmen, it seems that they leave it to each other a little bit. Is that a fair question? Is that a fair suggestion?
MASRAFE MORTAZA: No, even 2015 World Cup, in Australia, we played with seven batters. Yes, there was some times like we go with eight and seven.

But we're not concerned about it. Still if you see that Miraj, Mehedi Hasan Miraj, No. 8, he's a good batter. So I think we don't have to think much about it, just the thing that sometimes we feel like if seven batters can't do it, No. 8 can do anything. So it's a gut feeling. So we'll go by the opposition.

Q. Although you're not in the same group, how do you rate Pakistan as an opponent in tomorrow's warm-up game and how do you see their progress? Do you think Pakistan has any chance in this tournament?
MASRAFE MORTAZA: Even Pakistan, always if you go back to history, Pakistan is always a big side. And that's sort of tournament all those big sides are under pressure.

So Pakistan, my gut feeling said they're a very good side and they can do, they can destroy any team. So, yes, they have a very good chance in this tournament.

Q. You're now ranked ahead of Sri Lanka, ahead of Pakistan. Realistically, how far do you think Bangladesh can go in this tournament?
MASRAFE MORTAZA: Look, as I said before, that first things, that we're No. 6. So it is just a pleasure for us. And obviously we are very happy with that. And we want to get moved from here. We'll have to go as far as we can.

And the second thing is, yes this, tournament is going to be very hard for us, as we know. As I told you, we're playing that certain group that is very hard, and the conditions as well.

But as I said, you never know. On your day, we can do anything. And we have some quality players who can change the game. And we'll have to play as a team as we've been doing so far and hopefully we'll do something here.

Q. And you have some experience as a side in knocking out some big names, go back to the last World Cup, for example, does that give you any confidence knowing that you can do that?
MASRAFE MORTAZA: Depends. Actually, for me it's not because -- it's two and a half years back. So this doesn't give -- it can help you, yes, but it's not for me because it's a totally new match, new week, new day.

So if you want to do something, it's your day to make it. So I feel like in a match they have to do something else that we can go ahead.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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