Teammate Ashraful says Mortaza was lucky at IPL auction

IPL auction star's teammate Ashraful puts Knight Riders' hot property in perspective

Teammate Ashraful says Mortaza was lucky at IPL auction

IPL auction star's teammate Ashraful puts Knight Riders' hot property in perspective

IT was a scene Bangladeshi cricketer Mashrafe Mortaza (25) would not have dreamt of even in his wildest dreams two Bollywood beauties slugging it out to get him.

The atmosphere in the Goa auction hall was electric as Preity Zinta of Kings XI Punjab quoted $550,000. Bidding for Mashrafe Mortaza, whose claim to fame is a superlative display of medium pace bowling which proved instrumental in Bangladesh's famous win against India during the 2007 edition of the World Cup, had begun from as base price of $50,000. When Juhi Chawla's Kolkata Knight Riders quoted $600,000, Zinta backed off, but the lanky all-rounder had just hit his highest score ever.

"He's a talented cricketer," Mortaza's teammate Mohammad Ashraful told MiD DAY from Dhaka yesterday. Ashraful will turn out for the Mumbai Indians in the second edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) for a modest sum of $75,000. Though surprised at the massive amount Mortaza was eventually acquired, Ashraful added: "I think he was extremely lucky. Both the teams wanted him and they kept bidding for him."

Speaking about his contract, Ashraful said that his dream of playing alongside his idol Sachin Tendulkar will finally be coming true. "I am extremely thrilled," he said. "I have always wanted to share a dressing room with Sachin. That dream will finally be coming true. I can't wait for the IPL to begin," the 24-year-old added.

Bollywood craze

He is hoping to catching up on some Bollywood action too. "Bollywood movies are a rage in Bangladesh. Though I watch many movies, I don't remember their names. So movies will definitely be on the to-do-list," said the Shah Rukh Khan fan.

Mortaza's pay-packet has certainly made heads turn, even threw them into a tizzy, but Ashraful is extremely happy for his teammate. Perhaps Mortaza could return the compliment by getting Ashraful his favourite star's autograph.

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