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ICC CRICKET WORLD CUP

June 5, 2019

Mashrafe Mortaza

Kennington, London, England, UK

New Zealand - 248-8, Bangladesh - 244

Q. Lots of positives to take from this game, but just seemed that the bowling attack perhaps found it difficult to defend; do you think they are capable defending a total that is below 250?
MASHRAFE MORTAZA: In this wicket, it's going to be difficult for sure. Spin off play a big part, obviously. But I think in this wicket, 250 is going to be difficult for any team. I'm not saying that especially if you don't have -- get hardly wickets, obviously.

But again, I think we are very close today. A few runs short, but I think we are very close.

Q. What would you say was the problem? Was it the runs or just you think that runout?
MASHRAFE MORTAZA: It could have been anything if we going to score big, we have to take all those chances. But it's part of the game. It's happened. No one wants to make this mistake. But I think still, I think the big, big mistake that been done in the batting, I think get set and get out. If you can manage to score 20, 25, 30 runs and what you have done, then it could have been a different match, because outfield was not quite slow, not being fast like the other matches.

The wicket, we found it was similar kind of wicket that we played last match.

Q. What was the turning point of the game in your consideration, and how do you rate Mustafizur as wicketkeeper, meaning the kind of mistake he has done after wicketkeeping for ten to 12 years in international cricket, do you think it was expected from someone like him?
MASHRAFE MORTAZA: No, the turning point, I think that runout, because they both get set in that time. And the run-out was happened again, Shakib and me got partnership like 41-nil, and then again Shakib got short.

Those two partnerships, if any go into 80 or 100, it could have been different score. Mushi, I don't think we need to go after him, because it's happened with anybody because he also trying hard to get him. That throw was straight, and then as a keeper, it's very difficult to found it was straight or not. He wants to pick the ball and suddenly it hits his elbow, I guess.

That sort of mistakes always happen in the ground. So I don't think so it should go after him.

Q. The other point is, the use of Mustafizur and Shakib in this game, do you think you left it too late for Mustafizur, or that was the plan from the beginning, that Shakib would bowl seven overs in the first 18, and Mustafizur would noting bowling much with the new ball?
MASHRAFE MORTAZA: No, the plan was that Shakib, to bring because the high tender was there, and the new ball was gripping a bit. So we thought that if it's gripping, and then Shakib can play that roll. So exactly Shakib comes and is giving us breakthrough and was trying one more wicket in Ross or Williamson, he knew these two, we have to get them on out and then we will be in the game. That's why Shakib bowled a bigger spin, so we won one wicket in that particular time.

The best chances we could have get with Shakib and Mustafizur, we have one to take -- give him his old ball more effectively, even the last matches he's doing the same thing. So he was our strike bowler obviously. You know, at the end, two wickets, anything could have been happen. You know, 12 runs, 16 runs, two balls could have been get two wickets, especially with Mustafizur, and he done it so many times before.

So that's not happened that time. Maybe as I said, last match, sometimes your lack has to be going with you, with the team. So it's not happened this time. Maybe next match.

Q. Considering you don't have these strike bowlers with the new ball -- the spinners also like the old ball. Are you playing it as a way that you start defensively for the first 15, 20 overs and then get into attack mode?
MASHRAFE MORTAZA: Not really. What I'm saying, that, you know, once Mustafizur has come, that we just knew with the old ball it is more effective. So that was the plan, actually.

So even if we look at the last match, as I said, when he bowled the first four overs, he get more effective when he comes and then his second spell, he got three wickets in there. That was the plan, and Shakib was, what I'm saying, that his ball was a bit gripping.

So we thought the best option should bring the early -- once the ball starts gripping and exactly it worked for us, straightaway Shakib he give us the wicket. So that was the plan behind. Not meaning that we don't have. It was been done so many times before, so that was the plan. We need to get wicket we knew, so once any bowler get help from the wicket, so we bring him.

Q. You play England next on Saturday. Are you particularly looking forward to facing them, given you've got a great World Cup history against them the last two tournaments and you've played some spicy games since?
MASHRAFE MORTAZA: Sorry?

Q. England. Next match.
MASHRAFE MORTAZA: Yeah, I think they are one of the biggest side in this tournament. It's not going to be easy, we knew that. But again, if we can play our best possible cricket, you never know. So they are one of the biggest side, as I said. It's going to be difficult.

Also, I don't think so we play badly today. We should bring some of the positive stuff we get from here, and defending 244, everyone knows in this wicket, especially in Oval, it's not easy. We win very close, and I think also, the batting side, it's not that many clubs we get up on but couldn't go through. So these things, if we can manage the next match, I think can be a good match.

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