Mash likens his situation to Dhoni

Bangladesh paceman and ODI captain Mashrafe Bin Mortaza talked to reporters in a press conference today before the team's departure for Sri Lanka tomorrow. The skipper had suggested that he will think about retirement after the World Cup but said he was not bothered by the talks of impending retirement and his future as both a player and captain.

"I haven't thought about it yet since I am going on a tour and only focusing on playing there," Mashrafe said when asked about his retirement. "If there is anything, I will think about it after I return since there is a big gap after this series. What I can say is that it is my last tour of Sri Lanka."

Asked if he felt awkward answering questions  about retirement, he suggested that when performances are not up to mark or when a player reaches a certain age, this questions tend to surface regardless of what status a player has.

"I am neither feeling awkward or disappointed. It's natural that each person will do their job. Maybe you have questions. If you talk about MS Dhoni, I am not a player who can compare to him. He has ten thousand runs in international cricket. He is being asked this type of questions in every press conference. I think one has to take these questions professionally," the skipper said.

Mashrafe reiterated that his own performance has not been up to expectations and it is only natural that questions are being asked.

"I am clear from my position and as a player I could not perform to my best in the World Cup. I was not able to give my best as a captain as well. Everyone expected that the team will make the semifinals. We failed to reach our targets and it is natural to face questions. This how I am seeing things and do not have the capacity to think about it in any other manner," he concluded.