Dhaka: Bangladesh ODI captain Mashrafe Mortaza's decision to give up national team central contract provided fuel to speculations around his retirement.
"Till yesterday, I was a centrally contracted cricketer with the cricket board but not anymore," Mashrafe said in a press conference on Monday.
Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) president Nazmul Hassan told reporters that Mashrafe did not wish to continue as a contracted player. "We have accepted his proposal," he said. Hassan also said that they have offered Mashrafe a massive going away party, "the likes of which has never happened and never will".
However, Mashrafe has insisted that he would like to keep playing as long as he is enjoying the game, and not retiring just because the BCB president has said that they would throw a big party.