Mashrafe Mortaza to step down as Bangladesh ODI skipper; details inside

Mortaza, who made his senior team debut in 2001, was first named ODI captain in 2010.

Sylhet:Star Bangladeshi seamer Mashrafe Mortaza on Thursday announced that he will step down as captain of Bangladesh team after the third ODI against Zimbabwe.

Mortaza, however, also stated that he will be available for team selection. His announcement comes after the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) president Nazmul Hassan, prior to the ODI series, had said that they would look for a new captain after this series.

Mashrafe Mortaza as skipper.

Mortaza, who made his senior team debut in 2001, was first named ODI captain in 2010. He led the team to the semi-final of the 2017 Champions Trophy and the quarter-final of the 2015 World Cup, after taking over as the white-ball captain in November 2014.

Mashrafe Mortaza

In total, he led Bangladesh in 87 ODIs, winning 49 and losing 36. He also captained in 28 T20Is in which his team emerged victorious on 10 occasions. The all-rounder also led the team in one Test, against West Indies in 2009, which Bangladesh won.

Mashrafe Mortaza

Meanwhile, Bangladesh have taken an unassailable 2-0 lead in the series. Bangladesh secured a 169 runs victory in the first ODI while in the second ODI, the side defeated Zimbabwe by four runs.

The third ODI between Bangladesh and Zimbabwe will be played on March 6.