Mash highlights importance of Riyad in Bangladesh team

"(Mahmudullah) Riyad performs, Riyad's performance is always impactful" - said former captain Mashrafe bin Mortaza about the importance of Mahmudullah Riyad in the upcoming Asia Cup and World Cup team.

Mashrafe knows that Mahmudullah has a habit of firing in big tournaments. AS Mahmudullah has shown reliability with the bat in the two big tournaments under him. In 2015, he played a great innings against New Zealand in the ICC Champions Trophy, after playing another epic innings to knock England out of the World Cup in Adelaide in 2015.

In the World Cup, Riyad outscored Tamim Iqbal's 95 andbecame the first Bangladeshi to score a century. Bangladesh got one of the most memorable victories in history. In the next match too, he smashed a century against New Zealand, unfortunately Bangladesh did not win this match. After that, he made a record partnership with Shakib Al Hasan in the Champions Trophy and won against the Kiwis. Both scored centuries.

Mashrafe said in the media on Wednesday, "His (Mahmudullah's) experience says that in international cricket, in ICC tournaments, I have always known that Riyad performs, Riyad's performance can be recognized separately." They will probably take (performance) into consideration, all things considered I expect a very likely decision (team management) will be made.

"That's what I said before. The team management who are watching, Hathurusingha is there, there are coaches, captains, selectors, they will decide. At the same time, I am also saying that success will not come only if he is selected, he also have to go there and play well.

Mahmudullah's importance on the big stage can hardly be understood with just two centuries. Mahmudullah scored 365 runs in 2015 World Cup with two centuries and 1 fifty. Which is the highest among Bangladeshi batters. Ninth highest overall. He scored 219 runs in 6 innings of 7 matches in 2019 World Cup. And in 2017, he scored 137 runs with 1 century in 4 matches in the ICC Champions Trophy. 

Talking about Mahmudullah's career, Mashrafe said, "What Mahmudullah Riyad has done in his entire career is nothing to describe separately, we all know. He is a fighter; he has done a lot for the country. I don't have anything else to say.'