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TL;DR
- Mahmudullah Riyad announced his retirement from T20I cricket ahead of the second T20I against India, with his last match scheduled for October 12 in Hyderabad.
- The 38-year-old all-rounder has played 139 T20Is for Bangladesh, scoring 2,395 runs at an average of 23.48 and a strike rate of 117.74.
- Mahmudullah holds the record for leading Bangladesh in the most T20I matches (43) and has been a key finisher for the team in the last 5-6 years.
- While retiring from T20Is, Mahmudullah plans to continue playing ODI cricket for Bangladesh, with the BCB welcoming his decision.
Mahmudullah Riyad, the experienced Bangladesh all-rounder, has announced his retirement from T20 international cricket. He made the announcement during a press conference at Delhi’s Arun Jaitley Stadium ahead of the second T20I match against India.
The 38-year-old cricketer stated, “I will retire from T20 after the last match of this series. In fact, I decided this before I came on this tour. I talked to my family. I also informed my coach, captain, selectors and board president about the decision. I think it is the right time to move on from this edition and focus on what lies ahead in ODIs. For me and if I think about the next (T20) World Cup, this is the right time for the team as well.”
Mahmudullah’s T20I career began in September 2007 against Kenya in Nairobi. He has since played 139 T20Is for Bangladesh, scoring 2,395 runs at an average of 23.48 and a strike rate of 117.74. If he plays the remaining two matches of the ongoing series against India, his T20I career will conclude with 141 matches.
The all-rounder has been a key figure in Bangladesh’s T20 setup, particularly in the last five to six years, where he played the role of a finisher. He also holds the record for leading Bangladesh in the most T20I matches, captaining the team in 43 matches between 2018 and 2022.
Some of Mahmudullah’s most memorable T20I performances include his unbeaten 43 off 18 balls in the 2018 Nidahas Trophy against Sri Lanka and his crucial 16 not out in the 2022 T20 World Cup, also against Sri Lanka.
While Mahmudullah is retiring from T20Is, he plans to continue playing One Day Internationals (ODIs) for Bangladesh. His last T20I match is scheduled to be on October 12 at the Rajiv Gandhi Stadium in Hyderabad, which will be the third and final match of the ongoing series against India.
The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has welcomed Mahmudullah’s decision to retire from T20Is. His departure marks the end of an era for Bangladesh’s T20 cricket, leaving a significant void in the team’s middle order and leadership.
