‘O Captain! Our Captain!’
After low attendance in the first two ODIs, the stands at Sylhet were packed for the final game yesterday as fans flooded in to give a fitting farewell to captain Mashrafe Bin Mortaza.
The holiday on Friday ensured that every corner of the stadium was packed for the last time the nation would witness Bangladesh's most successful ODI skipper in action.
A crowd started gathering outside hours before the game to collect tickets and watch the historic match. Many had come from all parts of the country to give a memorable send-off to 'Captain Fantastic'.
His teammates would also be looking to make the occasion more special with a win in the third ODI, which would be Mashrafe's 50th win as captain in the format.
"It is undoubtedly a huge moment for all Bangladesh fans because this is the last game for our captain, that too in our own city. I was unable to make it for the first two games but I had made up my mind to watch the third game only because of Mashrafe," Mohammad Shahin a service holder, told The Daily Star yesterday.
Mashrafe shocked everyone on Thursday by declaring his decision to step down as captain after the third ODI, finally ending the saga that started following Bangladesh and Mashrafe's below-par performance in the 2019 World Cup.
Despite that, his fanbase never wavered. It has been hard for them to accept that their hero will not be in action again as national captain.
'You will be missed' and 'O Captain, our Captain' were some of the more common banners and the crowd even patiently withstood the pouring rain, which stopped play for more than two hours.
Mashrafe's close friends and younger brother, Morsalin Bin Mortaza, were also present.
"The fans expect us to win every game and hopefully the next captain can motivate the team to do well. I love this game and the supporters. They support us if we win or lose and that's been my motivation,'' Mashrafe said during the toss.
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