Bangladesh ODI skipper Tamim Iqbal was joined yesterday in a live Facebook video call by his predecessor Mashrafe Bin Mortaza and in that hour-long video, the two stalwarts of Bangladesh cricket shared some of their inside stories and tit bits from their career. During one part of the video chat, Mashrafe went onto reveal how he once managed to skip facing Jofra Archer, one of the world's quickest bowlers.

It was an Eliminator between Khulna Titans and Rangpur Riders in the 2017 edition of the Bangladesh Premier League. Both Mashrafe and Shohag Gazi were playing for Rangpur Riders while Archer featured for Khulna Titans in that edition. And in the Eliminator between the two sides, the Rangpur team management decided to send Gazi, who usually bats down the order, to open with Chris Gayle for that game as they were in need of an extra batsman at the top. Mashrafe however revealed that it was he who was supposed to open the innings in the first place.

"Jofra Archer usually bowls at 145 kmph. But then Tom Moody [Rangpur Riders' coach] came to me and said that as you are batting well this season, you go and open the innings. I replied, 'fine, I will and it is not a big deal'.

"But then I went to Gazi and asked him to pad up and go open the innings. I explained to Tom that, 'see Tom, Gazi bats really well and he even has a Test century. So, he can go and open the innings.' Tom was asking me if I was sure and I told him that I was 100 per cent sure about it and it won't be an issue for him [Gazi] to face Jofra Archer. Then Gazi padded up and went to open and I was saying to myself, 'Allah, you saved me this time', realising that I did not have to face Archer," Mashrafe explained much to the delight of Tamim.

Interestingly, Gazi could survive only four deliveries that day as the right-hander saw his stumps rattled by an Archer delivery after scoring a solitary run. Rangpur however won that game convincingly by eight wickets, courtesy of a Gayle blitz.