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Bangladesh's Mahmudullah plays down expectations

Last updated on: March 18, 2015 12:46 IST

Mahmudullah of Bangladesh celebrates his century against New Zealand

Mahmudullah of Bangladesh celebrates his century against New Zealand. Photograph: Phil Walter/Getty Images

Bangladesh's first World Cup centurion Mahmudullah is hoping to extend his big scoring spree at the World Cup when he faces off against India.

Having become the first Bangladeshi World Cup centurion last week, he is now looking to come good yet again.

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The right-handed all-rounder, who hit two straight hundreds in the ongoing tournament, is a breath of fresh air in the Bangladesh batting line-up.

"I am happy that I have contributed with the bat for Bangladesh thus far. I am hoping to continue with my performances," he said, trying to play down the huge expectations the country has from him.

Back in Bangladesh, fans are already urging Mahmudullah to replicate the feat of Sri Lanka's Kumar Sangakkara, who has hit four hundreds in a row at the World Cup, but he wants them to temper their expectations.

"I do not want any pressure of this kind. Sangakkara is a great player who has achieved a lot in his career. To follow that feat is simply impossible. I am happy to contribute in my own small way to the team's progress," he added.

With stars like Shakib Al Hasan, Mashrafe Mortaza and Mushfiqur Rahim in the side, Mahmudullah is very much an unsung hero. The calm right-handed batsman is happy to be in the background.

"As long as I perform and the team wins, nothing else matters to me. They are the stars and deserve all the accolades they get their way. I am happy to be away from all the limelight."

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