Asia Cup 2018: Newly-Released Super Four Schedule Disappoints Mashrafe Mortaza

Bangladesh skipper Mashrafe Mortaza took a sly dig at the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) for releasing the latest fixtures for the Super four leg of the ongoing 14th edition of Asia Cup 2018 in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

All the other teams will have to travel. However, India will play all their matches in Dubai irrespective of where they finish in the group on top and where the three other teams finish.

The ACC released the schedule for the Super four stage which is slated to start from Friday. Two matches are yet to be played in the group stage, and the top teams from each group are yet to be decided.

SHORTS

View More

Your daily dose of cricket!

Loading...

As per the original schedule champions of Group A was slated to play runners-up from Group B and runners-up from Group A was slated to play Champions of Group A in Dubai and Abu Dhabi respectively.

The Latest Super 4’s schedule was announced after Hong Kong lost narrowly to India. Regardless of their positions in the tournament, India will play all their matches in Dubai.

Bangladesh will play against Afghanistan in Abu Dhabi on Thursday. Then, they will then travel to Dubai for the all-important clash against India on Friday.

Mashrafe Mortaza disappointed with the new schedule of the Super 4’s

“It is very disappointing,” Mashrafe said on Wednesday (September 19).

“Basically what has happened is that we were made the second team in Group B even before we played the last game. We came here with a plan. We would play Sri Lanka first. And if we won and played well we would be group champions and play the runners-up of Group A. But this morning we heard that we are already Group B runners-up regardless of whether we win or lose tomorrow. So, of course, it is disappointing,” he added.

“It is an international match where we are representing our nation, so of course it’s important. But whether you are talking about group stage matches or Super Four matches, there are certain rules within which they operate. We are getting away from the rules, so it’s disappointing,” he said.

Under the leadership of Mashrafe Mortaza, Bangladesh won their Asia Cup 2018 opener by 137 runs against Sri Lanka. They are already into the super four.