[Miraz]

The untold story of Mohammad Ashraful, the flag bearer of Bangladesh Cricket
Khondaker Mirazur Rahman

A winter day of 1993 in Sidhdheswary cricket training ground, one of the breeding grounds of many national cricketers, a couple of net practices were going on. Former Bangladesh skipper Khaled Mahmud Sujon, Imran Hamid Partho were doing serious net practice for Amarjyoti, a club used to play in the second division cricket league. Mohammad Rafique, ace spinner of Bangladesh, played for Amarjyoti in the previous season and was also there to share net practice. Cricket in Bangladesh in those days were easily outclassed by football and Bangladesh were only playing ICC Trophy without any apparent success.

A young boy aged 9-10 was a regular feature of the net practice. He always arrived in time dressed with cricket whites, a bit oversized in his lean body. He was happy to work as a net boy, nothing more. Days after days, months after months he became regular furniture of the practice session of Amarjyoti club. The club completed one season in the second division league, net practice stopped and the boy was not seen anywhere near the Sidhdheswary ground for the rest of the year.

Next year, the net session started and everyone was surprised to see the boy, back again to perform his duty with religious regularity. Almost nothing changed; the same face, the same whites and the same dedication. One day Khaled Mahmud, captain of Amarjyoti club, asked him, “Do you want to be a cricketer”? Yes, the answer was very prompt from him. “I can bowl a bit, leg spin bowling. If you allow me, I can show you some” said the boy who looked nothing more than 9-10 years old. Surprisingly enough, Mahmud listened to the pledge of the boy.

The first batsman in the net was Imran Hamid Partha, a dashing left handed opener who afterward played for Bangladesh A and Abahani. At that time he was a leading performer for Amarjyouti and particularly merciless against spinners. With all the concentration of the world, the young boy delivered his first ball in the competitive world of cricket. The ball, which should disappear from the small field, deceived Imran with turn and bounce and he missed it completely. In utter disbelief everyone witnessed the incident, Imran was shaking his head. The same thing happened in the next ball and the boy continued to cause all sorts of trouble to Imran. Next batsmen came to the net one after another, and the magic continued. After the net session, they boy in smiling face said, “See, I can bowl leg spin a bit”. He was very happy to become a part of the net session, he witnessed for years with a dream to participate.

Suddenly the club officials became very interested in the boy and wanted to make sure that he turns up in the very next morning. The next day was a busy day for him; the club officials took him to BCB office of the Bangabandhu National Stadium to get him registered withy the club. After searching all available sportswear shop, they somehow managed to find a proper cricket whites, which after a good amount of tailoring, fitted in the lean body of the boy.

In the next seven days he bowled as many bowls as he wished, and all the players knew they have got a match winner in their team. He got the first opportunity to bat in the net after 10 days; it was the day before the first match. More surprise was waiting for everyone in the field; this time the balls were disappearing everywhere with some sweet sound from the willow of the boy. He was playing every type of shots present in the coaching manual with unbelievable ease. Khaled Mahmud, the captain of Amarjyoti, exclaimed in surprise, “You really bat well, exceptional”. “I am basically a bowler who can bat a bit”, was the modest answer from the boy.

Match day. Everyone in the field was very astonished to see the name a very young boy in the playing XI of Amarjyoti. After first 10 overs, Mahmud turned to the young prodigy. The umpire asked the name of the bowler, Ashraful….Mohammad Ashraful was the answer. The leg spinner Ashraful won the match for Amarjyoti.

A talent was born and a history was made. Ashraful got the return of all his dedication and sincerity. A net boy, who passed days after days collecting ball from the net without any return, became the most valuable player of the team at the age of 10.

At that time, former spinner and Mohammedan player Wahidul Gani was a leading mentor of young cricketers. Mahmud took Ashraful to Wahidul Gani to show the talent he discovered. At the very first day Gani realized the arrival of a diamond in his training camp. Ashraful became a very special student of Wahidul Gani, and the mentor used all his expertise to shape up the future of Bangladesh cricket.

Ashraful stayed in Amarjyoti for only one season. In the very next season he moved to Victoria Sporting Club who were playing in the first division cricket league. Time started to pass very quickly for Ashraful, he was called for Bangladesh age group teams starting from U-13 to U-21’s. A leg spin bowler soon turned into the mainstay of batting in every team he played. In 16th January 2000, he made his debut for U-19 world cup at the age of 15 years and made his first class debut for Dhaka Division in the same season.

Within one year, he played for Bangladesh U-19’s in ICC U-19 world cup, Bangladesh U-17’s in ICC U-17 Asia Cup, Dhaka Metropolis in National Cricket League and Bangladesh Cricket Board XI against Australian Academy. After showing his brilliance everywhere, Ashraful finally made his ODI debut against Zimbabwe in April 2001 at the age of 16 years. In September 2001, he made his historic Test debut against Sri Lanka in the Asian Test Championship and hammered a brilliant century to become the youngest player to make a Test century.

Now I will take you to 1st may 2003, Bangladesh were playing 2nd Test against South Africa in Dhaka. After reducing South Africa to 63-4, Bangladesh failed to keep the pressure . Rudolph and Boucher were repairing the South African innings and formed a 107 run partnership to lift South Africa to 170-4. Bangladesh captain Khaled Mahmud turned to Mohammad Ashraful and he paid the faith immediately. He lured Rudolph out of the crease and wicketkeeper Mohammad Selim did the rest. It was like the action replay of something happened 8 years ago, Amarjyoti captain Khaled Mahmud turned to the unknown 10 years old boy and he produced magic. The characters were same but the arena was completely different. Ashraful completed the first cycle of his cricket career, from a 2nd division club net of Siddheswary ground to the Test match at Bangabandhu National Stadium.

In his roller coaster international career Ashraful produced some magic with the bat but failed live up with the expectation in numerous occasions. Despite all of his failures, he was always regarded as the best batsman of Bangladesh cricket who can turn the table around for Bangladesh. Whenever bad days came, he turned to his mentor Wahidul Gani. Gani eagerly waited to see his student and the pair worked hard to see off the hard time. Sincerity and dedication of Ashraful always rescued him from the brink of failure.

2nd June 2007, Bangladesh Cricket Board appointed Mohammad Ashraful as Bangladesh captain. In the very first day of his glory, he returned to Sidhdheswary ground, the birth place of the cricketer Ashraful. The lean young boy, who waited for months with sincerity and dedication to get his first chance in the nets, went to the same field as the flag bearer of Bangladesh cricket.