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India favourites for the Cup: Maortaza

Last Updated 19 March 2015, 22:00 IST

 Bangla­desh’s maiden foray into World Cup quarters was a forgettable experience, especially for their captain Mashrafe Mortaza. Not only did he see Bangladesh crash to a 109-run defeat but was also suspended for an ODI for a second slow over-rate offence on Thursday.

The paceman, however, sought to look at the positives. “It was a brilliant tournament for us,” he pointed out. “Obviously the way we played today, it wasn't great, but most of the players in our side from 2008, we hadn’t played any cricket in Australia, so it was a really tough ask for us. But the way the boys adjusted to the wicket and the conditions, I feel very proud as the captain of this team, and hopefully our boys will take it in the next series,” he remarked.

Mortaza also anointed India as the strong favourites to win the tournament. “Definitely,” he said when asked if India can win the Cup. “The way India is playing now, it will be a challenge for the other teams. The way they are batting and bowling, they definitely look like they can win the tournament. Good luck to them and I don’t see any reason why they can’t win,” he noted. 

Without dwelling into too much into umpiring errors that possibly allowed India to pile on a big total, Mortaza felt things could have been different if those decisions had gone their way. He was particularly piqued with a no-ball (for being above waist high) that saved Rohit Sharma when on 90. “It could have been,” Mortaza said when asked if it would have made any difference to them if Rohit had been given out. Rohit was on 90 then and he went on to score another 47 off 23 balls.

“Against India we always know that we have to take wickets, otherwise it is going to be very difficult. At that stage if he got out, Rohit, it would have been great, but I think I can't say anything in here, but everyone saw what happened in the middle. I don’t want to say anything about that.”

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(Published 19 March 2015, 19:46 IST)

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