24 October - Mumbai - Bangladesh player Mahmudullah post-match press conference
[Reporter:]
You were not in the team for a while. What kept you moving? Do you feel that you are batting a bit down the order?
[Mohammad Mahmudullah:]
That was a good time, I think. I can't say anything regarding that, though I do want to talk about a lot of things, but probably this is not the right time to talk about it.
[Reporter:]
When you are chasing such a big total, power hitting is very important. Do you feel that Bangladesh is lacking in power hitting and what is the reason behind it?
[Mohammad Mahmudullah:]
On this sort of wicket, you need to create opportunity, first of all, to be in that position where you can win a game. I think we didn't do that today. And regarding power hitting, I think we have a bit of depth, but it all depends how the partnerships progress in the middle and where you can have a few wickets in hand to go out there and just blast everyone.
[Reporter:]
[question in Bangla]
Was it an ideal preparation to come to the World Cup?
[Mohammad Mahmudullah:]
The thing is that I can't make comment on those things because it's an outside matter and it is not the right time to make any comment on those issues. Whatever happened - happened - all we can do is try to win game for Bangladesh and we're trying, we're trying very hard but it’s not happening - but you will see a different Bangladesh team.
[Reporter:]
Can you talk us through your innings, what was the goal you had in mind. Did at any point you think that the game was lost and you had to target your hundred? What was going through your mind?
[Mohammad Mahmudullah:]
Actually, I didn’t target my hundred – to be honest, because you just bat – when me and Mustafizur were batting in the middle, I told him – just stay on, hold on. Let us play 50 overs, let’s see what score we can get because there is an issue with the run rate, because if you get out early and cheaply, it will affect our net rune rate too – so I just tried to go deep, just bat and try to score some runs for the team.
[Reporter:]
Have you sounded off a warning to your think tank about your promotion in the battling line up?
[Mohammad Mahmudullah:]
No, I didn't think about that. Yesterday coach told me that I'm going to bat at number six. So that's it. I just go out there and try to play my game. And that's it. Nothing really special.
[Reporter:]
Riyad, you have made four centuries, and all four are in ICC events, is there any secret behind it? And if you can please tell us what is the meaning of today's celebration.
[Mahmudullah Riyad:]
First of all, "Alhamdulillah". No, there's no such secret. It happened by the grace of God. I just tried to contribute as much as I could to the team. That's it. Celebration, praise to God.
[Reporter:]
You have scored a century but the team reached such a position where nothing could be done actually. You have done your job, but the team lost despite your personal achievement. What is your feeling about it?
[Mahmudullah Riyad:]
Of course, no one likes to lose. It's obviously disappointing. But I think, early on, at night there was a bit of movement, a little bit, not much but the wicket was good, as far as I understood. We lost wickets early on then we didn't recover. But credit goes to Quinton [De Kock] and [Heinrich] Klaasen, I think they batted really well. Even [Aiden] Markram batted really well. I think we were probably even when we were discussing during the drinks time that 320-330 would be chaseable. But we didn't keep that score under 320 or 330.
[Reporter:]
You were not in the team for a while, then you came back to the team again. When you were not in the team then what kept you moving? That's the first question and the second question is the position you are batting now, do you feel that you are batting a bit down the order?
[Mahmudullah Riyad:]
No, "Alhamdulillah", that was a good time, I think. I can't say anything regarding that, though I want to talk about a lot of things, but probably this is not the right time to talk about. All I can say is that I just wanted to play for the team, I wanted to contribute to the team as much as I could. Somehow if I can contribute to the team's winning, then I would feel even better. It's fine, no problem. Throughout my career, I have seen a lot of ups and downs. So, "Alhamdulillah", it's fine.
[Reporter:]
Two questions. One is that Bangladesh has given 144 runs in the last 10 overs. It was 238 in the 40th over. What was your or your personal thought there on how much the total/score could be? Because they have made a lot of runs in the last matches in the last 10 overs. That's one part. Another part is that you said that there's a lot you want to say, but you don't want to say it now. But can we know that from the end of March till the end of the New Zealand series, did you actually keep yourself prepared? Was there any hope that you might make this World Cup?
[Mahmudullah Riyad:]
I don't know. Probably Allah has given me the strength to keep going. I have tried to maintain my fitness and to work hard. I have nothing else to do beyond that. And the answer to the second question, probably I'll give it later. About the bowling, as you said earlier they made around 238-240. I said earlier that if the score was 320-330. I was talking to Shakib, I also talked to Mushfiqur and we talked with bowlers also. We were trying to get as little damage as possible because the wicket was very good. I felt that 320-330 was chaseable in this wicket, but I think probably 380, it's a lot more to ask. But I think it's not that the bowlers bowled loosely, the bowlers also tried to bowl well. But I think when Klaasen and Quinton are in rhythm, it's hard to stop them.
[Reporter:]
If we talk about the one in 2015, it was a big achievement, Bangladesh reached the Quarter-final. So, after 8 years, you have had a century in such a situation when it was almost confirmed the defeat of the team. If you can tell us your feeling about scoring the century in these two different times? And another thing is that after eight years when you had to score a century or you scored the century after the team's defeat was certain. Did you expect to see the Bangladesh team in this place/position?
[Mahmudullah Riyad:]
If I talk about 2015, we won the match, so it is natural to feel good. Unfortunately, we lost today. But what I have in control, that to try to score runs for the team. That's the maximum I can do. What was the second question?
[Reporter:]
You had a century 8 years ago and today, you're in a position 8 years ago. And after 8 years, you had to score a century and celebrate after the team already lost the game. I mean, was it expected to see the team in that situation?
[Mahmudullah Riyad:]
No, definitely not. I said earlier that we were discussing in the middle if we could restrict them to 320-330 runs, it would have been a good chance to chase. But probably early on, when you lose 5-6 wickets in the first 15-20 overs, it becomes really hard. That's it.
[Reporter:]
Bangladesh played really well in the Super League. You were a part of that squad. In some series before the World Cup, and even in the World Cup you were not performing well in some matches. So, what is lacking in that and this team you think? Why it seems completely changed everything? What was wrong?
[Mahmudullah Riyad:]
I think that we are not getting that momentum. I think that when you bat or bowl first, you have to create an opportunity to be there to win a game. I think, probably we are not able to do that. If we look at the first match against Afghanistan, because the bowlers did very well, it was easy for us. But in the later matches, we couldn't create the opportunity. We are discussing and meeting but we are not doing the execution appropriately. We will try so that we can win in the next match.
[Reporter:]
When six matches were left, Mustafizur Rahman said we wanted to win six matches from here. Yesterday the captain said that he wanted to win five. Now, we only have four matches left. In this World Cup, I mean, it's not any way possible to play in the semifinals from here. What do you have to achieve from this World Cup? If we say as a team, what do you have to achieve from here still in the last four matches?
[Mahmudullah Riyad:]
I think there's no point in worrying about the outcome of whether we will be able to play in the semifinals or not. I think If we win the next game, we get good momentum to go to the next match. I think we should think about that as a team - batting department, bowling department, or fielding. We should think about where our execution level is lacking. Where we can improve and do better. These things, depending on the opposition's strength as well, we have to identify these things and try to execute them.
[Reporter:]
Riyad, theoretically, there is a chance for Bangladesh, if we can win the four matches - if we win five matches in total. There is still a chance if we consider other other World Cups. Overall, the performance is disappointing. You also have said a bit about it. So, I have a question for you. What happened before the World Cup, your late inclusion from nowhere, you were not in the team for 3 months. Tamim was captain for 2-2.5 years and suddenly he stepped down, Shakib's terrible interview before coming for the World Cup, was it an ideal preparation to come to the World Cup?
[Mahmudullah Riyad:]
The thing is that I can't make a comment on those things because it's an outside matter and it is not the right time to make any comment on those issues. Whatever happened, just happened. Well, we can try to win a game for Bangladesh and we're trying. We're trying very hard but probably it's not working. But as I said, if we can win in a match, you will see a different Bangladesh team.
[Reporter:]
Congratulations. Centuries are always special, it's very simple. The thing you were doing during the celebration, what was (the meaning of) that? And will you dedicate this century to someone?
[Mahmudullah Riyad:]
Dedicate the century, obviously, to my family, especially those who have supported me in the last three months. For those who have prayed for me.
[Reporter:]
You took a break from Tests. After that, you didn't have an interview with us, we are meeting after a long time. Can you tell us a little bit about this? As the selectors told us that you were put in to rest, at this point of your career. Rest was a requirement?
[Mahmudullah Riyad:]
No, I think I was rested a little too much. But, "Alhamdulillah", it's not in my control. It's their decision, the team's decision. Team management did what it thought was good for the team. But as I said earlier, if I can do my job with honesty, I think that is good enough for me and for the team. And that's what I've always tried to do and will continue to do.
[Reporter:]
As you mentioned about the rest. The time you took to rest was a bit long. You were behind the scenes for a while, then you went for Hajj, and after coming back from Hajj, you were seen in Mirpur almost every day. You were practicing. I mean, you were training alone. After that practice and hard work, you came back and now performed. This is a kind of inspiration for those who want to come back. How do you see this? Another thing is that there was a criticism about the strike rate. But here you were scoring runs and your strike rate is higher than anyone else. Is the strike rate highly rated in Bangladesh?
[Mahmudullah Riyad:]
First of all, I think it's a good opportunity. I think that those who supported me at that time, I thank you all very much. And those who didn't support me, I thank them also. These things are tricky actually. At the end of the day, you would want to play for Bangladesh, you would want to win for Bangladesh, that's what motivates everyone. And I don't think there can be any bigger motivation than this. If you talk about inspiration, maybe I don't know. All I can say, "Alhamdulillah".
[Reporter:]
Tell us about the strike rate.
[Mahmudullah Riyad:]
Strike rate, I'm trying to keep up my strike rate, "Inshallah".
[Reporter:]
If this had happened two years ago, would you have celebrated in such a match? Today we saw a slightly different kind of celebration. Is this celebration a language of protest?
[Mahmudullah Riyad:]
No, there was no protest in the celebration. It was just a celebration. I scored a hundred, so, it was just a celebration, nothing special. I said earlier that if we could win, then maybe I would have celebrated better, maybe I would have cheered wildly. I will try so that I can contribute to the team in the next match.