'Lack of communication' made difficult for me to survive: Mashud

Dhaka, Sep 29 (UNI) Former Bangladesh wicket keeper Khaled Mashud, who announced his retirement from international cricket yesterday, asserted that lack of communication from selectors has made it difficult for senior players like him to survive in the game.

The 32-year-old said it was when he was omitted from the squad for the upcoming New Zealand series, he realised that he wouldn't be a part of the selectors' plans in the near future.

''I am a senior player and I think there should be an understanding with the selection committee,'' Mashud was quoted as saying by 'Daily Star' yesterday.

''They could have talked with me. Ian Healy once told me that the Australian Board informed him a month ago that he would not be around. I think if that practice was undertaken by our Board, it would have been a little less painful for senior cricketers like me,'' he stated.

The former Bangladesh captain's contract, along with those of Javed Omar and Mohammad Rafique, was also not renewed by the board in December 2007.

However, denying reports that he had asked the Bangladesh board for a farewell match, he said, ''I read in a few papers that I asked the board for a game. I cannot do that since I am a professional cricketer.

I know that only the best performers play for the country and I would never tell the Board to bring me in just for a farewell match.

I did not play cricket for so long to beg for a match.'' In the 2007 World Cup, Mashud was replaced by Mushfiqur Rahim. He played his last Test against Sri Lanka in June last year.

Mashud, however, said he had tried hard to make a comeback.

''They [selectors] told me that my batting was failing me, so I concentrated on that. Then they told me I didn't keep regularly in the National Cricket League. Is it a crime to not keep for three or four matches in an entire season?'' he asked.

''People in the street ask me when I will be back for Bangladesh and I had no answer for them. In such a difficult time for our cricket, I thought it would have been quite a challenge to play again.'' The batsman, who scored 1,818 runs in 126 One-day Internationals, with 91 catches and 35 stumpings, said the most memorable moment of his career was the ICC Trophy win in Malaysia in 1997.

''Whoever I am, is because of that ICC Trophy final. There would be no Khaled Mashud or Mohammad Ashraful if we didn't win that match. It was the turning point and we united Bangladesh with that win.'' He was also appointed as a consultant by the Bangladesh board's games development committee along with Aminul Islam and Mohammad Rafique to coach age-group and academy cricketers in August.

Mashud concluded that he was keen to pass on his experience to youngsters, while still playing first-class cricket.

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