Bangladesh’s veteran all-rounder Mahmudullah has declared his intention to retire from T20 International cricket following the conclusion of the three-match series against India. Currently aged 38, he made his debut in this format in 2007 against Kenya, marking a T20I career that spans 17 years and 35 days, making it the third longest in history, surpassed only by his compatriot Shakib Al Hasan and Zimbabwe’s Sean Williams.
This declaration was made during a press conference held on Tuesday, prior to the second match in Delhi. The 38-year-old cricketer stated that he has communicated his decision to the appropriate authorities within Bangladesh cricket and confirmed that he will continue to participate in One Day Internationals.
Mahumudullah had announced his retirement from Test cricket in 2021; however, he will remain active in One Day Internationals (ODIs). He had distinguished himself as the top run-scorer for Bangladesh in the 2023 Men’s World Cup held in India, accumulating a total of 328 runs.
Mahmudullah's press confrence announcing his retirement from T20Is
“I am retiring from T20I cricket after the last game of this series. I was pre-decided before coming here,” Mahmudullah said. “I had a chat with my family. I spoke to the coach [Chandika Hathurusinghe], captain [Najmul Hossain Shanto], chief selector [Gazi Ashraf Hossain] and the board president [Faruque Ahmed] as well. I think it is the right time to move on from this format for me and the team. Especially with the World Cup coming up in less than two years. I will concentrate on the one-day game.”
Mahmudullah has coherently followed Shakib’s announcement of immediate retirement from T20I cricket during the second Test in Kanpur. Mahmudullah expressed that he had decided to retire after the series against India, intending to focus on One Day Internationals after a personally successful World Cup last year. This decision comes ahead of the three-match ODI series in the West Indies scheduled for December and the Champions Trophy in 2025.
“I was pre decided [about retirement] before coming to this series, had a chat with the captain and the coach and intimated my decision to the BCB president. It’s the right time to move on from this format and try to focus on the ODIs.”
Mahmudullah - A veteran
Wjile contemplating his career, Mahmudullah described the loss to India in the 2016 T20 World Cup as the most exasperating experience, while he regarded the Nidahas Trophy in 2018 as his most cherished moment. He achieved a score of 43 runs off 18 balls, contributing to Bangladesh’s victory over the host nation, Sri Lanka, to reach the final, although they ultimately fell short in that match. Throughout the tournament, Mahmudullah maintained an impressive strike rate of 157.38.
“The most frustrating moment was the loss to India in the 2016 world cup in Bengaluru. It was a life-changing moment for me, and taught me a lot. The best moment came in the Nidahas Trophy.” Mahmudullah said.
Mahmudullah has scored 2,395 runs at a strike-rate of 117.74 and 40 wickets in 139 T20Is games played. A former captain of the national team, Mahmudullah is set to retire as the joint third-most-capped T20I player in history. He has participated in 139 matches, and playing two additional matches will place him on par with George Dockrell at 141 appearances. Furthermore, he ranks as Bangladesh’s second-highest run-scorer in T20Is, trailing only Shakib Al Hasan. Notably, Mahmudullah has also experienced the most losses in this format, and earlier this year, he became the oldest player to represent Bangladesh in T20 internationals.
A former captain of the national team, Mahmudullah is set to retire as the joint third-most-capped T20I player in history. He has participated in 139 matches, and playing two additional matches will place him on par with George Dockrell at 141 appearances. Furthermore, he ranks as Bangladesh’s second-highest run-scorer in T20Is, trailing only Shakib Al Hasan. Notably, Mahmudullah has also experienced the most losses in this format, and earlier this year, he became the oldest player to represent Bangladesh in T20 internationals.
“Definitely we didn’t win a major trophy, but I don’t agree that we don’t have any achievements,” he said. “I think if a trophy is the only benchmark then many legends wouldn’t be called legends. The situation is very different from the time I made my debut in 2007 to now. It is not just due to the poncho pandob [‘five Pandavas’ from the Mahabharata, a reference to the combination of Shakib, Tamim Iqbal, Mushfiqur Rahim, Mahmudullah and Mashrafe Mortaza]. Every player, coach and team management involved, have all contributed to this change in Bangladesh cricket.”
