Mashrafe sold for $600,000 to Kolkata - Page 6

Nadim · #**126** February 7, 2009, 01:27 PM

Battle of Bollywood

The phrase 'when the going gets tough he gets going' perhaps fits more appropriately for Mashrafe Bin Mortaza. A cricketer with both his knees operated on and has been fighting against freakish injury ever since his Bangladesh debut in 2001 added another daring chapter in his never-say-die career on Friday. He entered the auction of the Indian Premier League (IPL) with a minimum floor price of 50,000 dollars and made a triumphant return with a mind-boggling cheque of 600,000 dollars.

Not only that it was perhaps for the first time a Bangladeshi player hogged the spotlight in the Indian media that have been unwittingly indifferent and to some extent bitter regarding cricket across the border.

The Telegraph certainly provided the biggest coverage of Mashrafe with a banner headline: 'Ladies fight for Bangla boy', referring to the tug-of-war between Bollywood superstars Juhi Chawla and Preity Zinta.

Its reporter Samyabrata Ray Goswami wrote:

"Two Bollywood beauties fought over a baby-faced boy next door at the Indian Premier League auction today [Friday], with Juhi Chawla finally bagging Bangladesh pacer Mashrafe Mortaza for the Kolkata Knight Riders.

"Juhi and Kings XI Punjab franchisee Preity Zinta -- leading ladies in many a film opposite the Knights' co-owner Shah Rukh Khan -- went for the unassuming Mortaza as if Kal Ho Naa Ho, with 83 bids needed to settle the issue."

Telegraph also gave a vivid description of the bid for the 'Narail Express'.

"An electric half-hour had passed by then and the 25-year-old's price had shot to $600,000 from the listed base of $50,000. It was the longest bidding in IPL history, and the 12-fold improvement on the base price the steepest ever.

"The beginning, however, had as much action as a dot ball.

Knight Riders sources had hinted that Mortaza was on their wish list apart from South African batsman JP Duminy and Australian quick Shaun Tait. Yet when auctioneer Richard Medley announced the Bangladeshi's name, the ladies, in true Bollywood heroine fashion, feigned initial indifference."

The newspaper also quoted a source regarding how the event transpired.

"There was utter silence; no one raised (the electric sabre used for bidding). Then, just before the hammer went down, KKR made a bid. Till then, it had seemed like Mortaza might go unsold.

"Preity's Kings XI immediately joined the fray. The bids went up by $5,000. When KKR touched $400,000 (on the 71st bid), Medley asked Preity if she was game for $410,000. She was quiet for a while and then nodded.

"The bids rose by $10,000 till the Knights touched $500,000 on the 81st. The next bid, from Kings XI, was for $550,000.

"(Then) KKR hit the match-winning sixer: a $50,000 jump over Punjab's last offer.

“The whole thing was very dramatic -- there was pin-drop silence in the room and Medley made it even more frenzied by quickening the pace of bidding. It was like speed chess."

The Navhind times in Goa termed bidding for Mortaza like a 'war' between Knight Riders and the Punjab Kings.

"The bidding for Mortaza intensified and literally it seemed as if Ness Wadia's Kings XI Punjab and Juhi Chawla's Kolkata Knight Riders, were at wars when they raised the mark to astronomical sums."

The Herald in Goa went a step further managing a quote form Kings XI stakeholder Preity Zinta.

"Mortaza is a great player, an all-rounder and we wanted him. But you win some, you lose some," the Bollywood star was quoted by the newspaper.

The Indian Express explained how important Mashrafe was for Knight Riders with a quote from its coach Australian John Buchanan.

"Shah Rukh was on the phone from Mumbai and his words were clear, 'Don't let Preity buy him',” the paper said quoting Buchanan. Ananda Vasu of Hindustan Times credited the auction for Mashrafe's fortune.

"For Mashrafe Mortaza, with all due respect to him, would never command a $ 600,000-price tag if it wasn't for these "auction forces."

He also wrote in his article: "If last year's auction was like prima donnas buying anything and everything they fancied at a designer store in a mega mall, this year's affair was more like prudent housewives looking for a bargain at the local market."

Ayaz Memon, India's leading columnist, in an interview with CNBC-TV18 explained why Mashrafe was so important for Knight Riders.

"If you ask me, Mashrafe Mortaza is a better player than Ashraful. Ashraful promised a lot, he is a youngster still, he is a fine strokemaker so he might make his mark in the IPL but Mashrafe Mortaza is a big hitter of the ball, a big-hearted fast bowler and look he is replacing Shoaib Akhtar who did really virtually nothing in the previous season.

"So I think Shah Rukh Khan has decided to trade one fast bowler for somebody who can at least bat a bit and will play all the matches."

Zeeshan · #**127** February 7, 2009, 01:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by asddsa
watch report on Mash auction and his reaction:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pnXmi3JShVY

that was a gem of a video...plz have more coming

BANFAN · #**128** February 7, 2009, 05:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by asddsa
watch report on Mash auction and his reaction:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pnXmi3JShVY

Thanks

Naimul_Hd · #**129** February 7, 2009, 10:07 PM

Shah Rukh Khan's statement after purchasing Mashrafe follow below !

Of their sole ‘purchase’ Mashrafe Mortaza, Khan says, ‘‘KKR were eyeing Duminy but when we saw Nita Ambani wanted him, we decided to let go. We lost Umar Gul and needed an all-rounder to replace him, so we decided on Mortaza.’’

How big a setback is Shoaib Akhtar’s exit? ‘‘Umar Gul was a bigger setback. I hear Shoaib’s going in for knee surgery so we wouldn’t have got him in the best of health. I wish he were fitter last year too,’’ says Khan.

The Knight Riders sold the maximum merchandise last year. Will we see a repeat this season? ‘‘I have plans but we may not have the budget to go all out this year. Depends on the sponsors we get. We earned 4 crore last year. Frankly, as investors, we were all prepared to lose money in the first two years.’’

Khan is sentimental about his team and his state. ‘‘Wish I could make Eden Gardens the world’s greatest stadium. In spirit and heart, I feel the whole of Kolkata and Bangladesh belongs to us.

"I think we have the best cricketing state in the country. Also a great mix of players which includes New Zealand, South Africa, Australia and now Bangladesh as well.’’

Source: http://ipl.timesofindia.indiatimes.c...ow/4093766.cms

Murad · #**130** February 7, 2009, 10:35 PM

Mash in IndiaFM article..

http://www.bollywoodhungama.com/news...518/index.html

Quote:

Shah Rukh Khan may not have been present at the auctions but his partner Juhi Chawla was very much there along with hubby Jai Mehta. SRK's team Kolkata Knight Riders' only major purchase of the day was Bangladeshi player Mashrafe Mortaza.

Damn.. his name is being mentioned in each and every indian sites..Pola onek popular hoye geche.. Everyone willl be looking forward to see him in the games.

djnaved · #**131** February 7, 2009, 11:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by muradnyc
Mash in IndiaFM article..

http://www.bollywoodhungama.com/news...518/index.html

Damn.. his name is being mentioned in each and every indian sites..Pola onek popular hoye geche.. Everyone willl be looking forward to see him in the games.

thanks a lot to shahrukh khan...bangladesher prestige baraia diche...now it's time for mash to show what he is capable of

RazabQ · #**132** February 9, 2009, 06:40 PM

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/8d065c68-f...nclick_check=1

FT story w/o registration

RazabQ · #**133** February 11, 2009, 12:08 AM

someone please tell CI how to count. Their video blurb on IPL's top 5 players this year has Ravi Bopara @ #5 @ 450K. By my counting that's < 600K isn't it?

https://video.cricinfo.tv/video_play...lId=CHCricInfo

al Furqaan · #**134** February 11, 2009, 12:17 AM

mash will prolly bring sex appeal...can't put a price on that.

scoilaheez · #**135** February 12, 2009, 02:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by al Furqaan
mash will prolly bring sex appeal...can't put a price on that.

Apparently, Preity Zinta values that appeal at $550,000... why else would Punjab go heavily after him?!

CholCholBD · #**136** February 12, 2009, 04:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by al Furqaan
mash will prolly bring sex appeal...can't put a price on that.

Married men have more sex appeal in general.

and no im not married.

BANFAN · #**137** February 12, 2009, 07:28 AM

Quote:

"Obviously I am delighted because I feel this is a result of all hard work I have put in over the years and a reward for being consistent this season," an elated Mortaza said.

Truely the result of all hard work & right person at the right time.

Full Story

Ashfaq · #**138** February 12, 2009, 10:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RazabQ
someone please tell CI how to count. Their video blurb on IPL's top 5 players this year has Ravi Bopara @ #5 @ 450K. By my counting that's < 600K isn't it?

https://video.cricinfo.tv/video_play...lId=CHCricInfo

You forgot one thing. He's a Briton. Hence He's better than everybody and has the right to scoff at everything.

Can't put a price on that either....

nycpro96 · #**139** February 14, 2009, 01:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by scoilaheez
Apparently, Preity Zinta values that appeal at $550,000... why else would Punjab go heavily after him?!

BANFAN · #**140** February 15, 2009, 10:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by scoilaheez
Apparently, Preity Zinta values that appeal at $550,000... why else would Punjab go heavily after him?!

You think Mash's cricketing ability isn't worth that money, in comparison to others?

cricket_pagol · #**141** February 15, 2009, 10:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by al Furqaan
mash will prolly bring sex appeal...can't put a price on that.

From a marketing point of view, mashrafee bring the bangladesh base to the knight riders... now, isn't that a big coup by shah rukh khan!!!

desirocker · #**142** February 23, 2009, 04:27 PM

yooooooooo, ma man gonna have fun with bolly chicks

cricman · #**143** February 23, 2009, 06:08 PM

"Mortaza is a very good cricketer," said Ganguly, defending the Bangladesh player. "Unfortunately for him, he plays for a team which hardly wins.

Ajfar · #**144** February 23, 2009, 10:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by desirocker
yooooooooo, ma man gonna have fun with bolly chicks

maybe he'll take over in billo barber 2