Mashrafe Mortaza form doesn't warrant place in Bangladesh team, says Ajit Agarkar

Mortaza, who played his 212th ODI on Saturday, has struggled for pace and consistency in his side’s opening three games. He took his first wicket of the competition against England, with Jonny Bairstow caught off a leading edge

Former India seamer Ajit Agarkar has questioned whether Bangladesh captain Mashrafe Mortaza is justifying his own position in his side.

Speaking after England secured a comfortable 106-run victory over Bangladesh at Cardiff, Agarkar asked whether Mortaza, who is playing in his fifth World Cup, could fit into his team’s best bowling attack on current form.

Mortaza, for whom Saturday’s defeat was his 212th ODI, has struggled for pace and consistency in his side’s opening three games. He took his first wicket of the competition against England, with Jonny Bairstow caught off a leading edge.

However, it also represented the first time the right-armer had managed to get through his quota of 10 overs, going for 68 runs on this occasion.

^{Mortaza played in his first World Cup in 2003.}

In Bangladesh’s thrilling victory over South Africa at The Oval, his six wicketless overs cost his side 49 runs, while he only bowled five overs in the narrow defeat to New Zealand.

“I know they can’t leave Mashrafe out but, for me, at this point he doesn’t fit into the eleven,” Agarkar told ESPN Cricinfo’s Match Day.

“But he is their leader and you need him around with all that experience. I think Mosaddek (Hossain) is someone that they can leave out.

“They have enough spin options with Mehidy (Hasan) and Shakib (Al Hasan) and their batting is doing quite well. It’s their bowling which is letting them down. You can’t concede over 300 and expect you batters to chase it.”

England made 386 for six on Saturday, before bowling out Bangladesh for 284. Shakib made 121 in his country’s reply – his third successive score of more than fifty.

Our coverage of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 is brought to you in association with Cricket 19, the official video game of the Ashes. Order your copy now at Amazon.co.uk