Bangladesh’s Mahmudllah set to retire after T20I series against India
New Delhi: Bangladesh veteran Mahmudullah announced retirement from T20 Internationals after the end of this three-match series against India. The 38-year-old all-rounder with a long presence in Bangladesh cricket will end a fine nineteen years old wonderful T20I career.
Mahmudullah’s retirement comes close on the heels of Shakib’s announcement that he is immediately retiring from T20Is, during the second Test in Kanpur. Mahmudullah said he decided to retire after the series against India to focus on ODIs, considering his personal performance was fantastic during last year’s World Cup. He will gear up for the three-match ODI series in the West Indies in December and the Champions Trophy in 2025.
Mahmudullah announces his retirement from T20i cricket.
– He’ll retire after the T20i series against India. pic.twitter.com/ayd2RMpveP
— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) October 8, 2024
Reflecting on his illustrious career, Mahmudullah identified the loss to India in the 2016 T20 World Cup as his most frustrating moment, describing it as a pivotal experience that taught him valuable lessons. In contrast, his favorite memory was winning the Nidahas Trophy semifinal in 2018, where he scored a crucial 43 runs off 18 balls, leading Bangladesh to a thrilling victory over hosts Sri Lanka, despite ultimately losing in the final. He concluded the tournament with 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 reflected.
Mahmudullah made his T20I debut in 2007 against Kenya, establishing himself as a cornerstone of Bangladesh’s cricketing journey. His career in the shortest format ranks as the third-longest in T20I history, surpassed only by his teammate Shakib Al Hasan and Zimbabwe’s Sean Williams. Over the course of 139 T20Is, Mahmudullah accumulated 2,395 runs at a strike rate of 117.74, while also making significant contributions with the ball, claiming 40 wickets.