Mahmudullah set to retire from T20Is after India series
What's the story
Mahmudullah, the experienced Bangladesh all-rounder, is set to retire from T20I cricket after the ongoing series against India. The 38-year-old announced the same ahead of the 2nd T20I set to be played at Delhi's Arun Jaitley Stadium on October 9. Mahmudullah has been a key player for Bangladesh cricket since his debut in 2007. As per Cricbuzz, he has the third-longest career in T20I cricket.
Career trajectory
Right time to move on: Mahmudullah
Mahmudullah's decision to retire comes after a slump in his performance, which saw him being dropped from Bangladesh's squad for the 2022 ICC T20 World Cup. However, he was picked for the three-match T20I series against India. "I was pre decided 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 and focus on ODIs," he said in the pre-match conference.
Future plans
Retirement from Test cricket
Mahmudullah had earlier retired from Test cricket in 2021 and has been hinting at a complete retirement from international cricket lately. Fellow cricketer Najmul Hossain Shanto spoke about Mahmudullah's future in the sport and stressed the importance of the India series for him. "Regarding Riyad [Mahmudullah] _bhai_(brother), from what I understand, this series is very important for him," Shanto had said.
Career highlights
Mahmudullah's T20I career; role in Champions Trophy
As of now, Mahmudullah has featured in 139 T20Is for Bangladesh. The star all-rounder, who has also led the side, owns 2,395 runs and 40 wickets in the format. His retirement from the format would leave a huge void in Bangladesh's T20I setup. The senior all-rounder would be raring to go in Bangladesh's 2025 ICC Champions Trophy campaign.