Bangladesh All-Rounder Mahmudullah to Retire from T20Is After India Series

Veteran Bangladesh all-rounder Mahmudullah has announced his decision to retire from T20Is, confirming that the third and final match of the ongoing series against India will be his last in the format. This marks the second high-profile retirement for Bangladesh during their tour of India, an unprecedented occurrence in an away series.

At 38, Mahmudullah has had an illustrious career in T20 cricket, playing a crucial role for Bangladesh both as a middle-order batsman and a finisher. With 139 T20I appearances to date, he has been one of the most reliable figures in Bangladesh’s T20 setup. If he plays the final two matches of this series, he will finish with 141 caps, making him the joint-third-highest capped player in men’s T20 Internationals.

 

Speaking at a press conference ahead of the second T20I against India, Mahmudullah revealed that the decision to retire was pre-planned. “Yes, I’m retiring from T20Is after the last game of this series. I had a conversation with my family, coach, captain, and the selectors before coming here. I also informed the board president. I believe this is the right moment for both me and the team to move on,” he said.

Mahmudullah also mentioned his desire to focus on the 50-over format, with several key assignments for Bangladesh on the horizon, including series against Afghanistan and the West Indies later this year, as well as preparations for the 2025 Champions Trophy.

 

Mahmudullah, who retired from Test cricket in 2021, is currently the second-oldest player to represent Bangladesh after Jahangir Shah. Reflecting on his T20 career, which began in 2007, Mahmudullah shared how he changed his approach to batting during the 2016 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in India.

Mahmudullah’s contributions have been significant, scoring 2,395 runs and taking 40 wickets in T20Is. His role as a finisher, particularly in the lower middle order, has been crucial for Bangladesh in many tight matches. “Batting at number 7 or 8 is challenging. Sometimes you finish the game, sometimes you don’t, but people often remember only the games you couldn’t finish. That’s just part of the sport,” he stated.

 

Mahmudullah’s decision to retire follows that of fellow veteran Shakib Al Hasan, who also announced his retirement from T20Is during this tour. Shakib’s retirement adds to the sense of transition in Bangladesh cricket as the team looks to the future while preparing for upcoming international challenges.

The third and final match of the T20 series will be held in Hyderabad on Saturday, where Mahmudullah will take the field one last time in the shortest format, marking the end of an era for Bangladesh cricket.