Bangladesh’s veteran all-rounder Mahmudullah has announced his retirement from T20Is following the three-match series against India.
The 38-year-old made his T20I debut in 2007 against Kenya, marking the third-longest T20I career, behind only teammate Shakib Al Hasan and Zimbabwe’s Sean Williams, spanning 17 years and 35 days.
Mahmudullah had already retired from Test cricket in 2021 but will continue playing in the ODI format.
He was Bangladesh’s leading run-scorer in the 2023 Men’s World Cup in India, scoring 328 runs.
His announcement follows Shakib Al Hasan’s immediate retirement from T20Is during the second Test in Kanpur.
Mahmudullah stated that he had decided to retire after the India series, wanting to focus on ODIs, particularly ahead of Bangladesh’s three-match series against the West Indies in December and the 2025 Champions Trophy.
“Yes, I am retiring from T20I cricket after the last game of this series.
I had made my decision before coming here.
I spoke to my family, the captain, coach, selector, and the board president about it.
I believe it’s the right time to move on from this format and focus on the upcoming ODIs.
I think this is the right time for me and the team to start preparing for the next World Cup,” he said.
Reflecting on his career, Mahmudullah mentioned that the 2016 T20 World Cup defeat to India was the most frustrating moment, while the Nidahas Trophy in 2018 stood out as his favorite.
He played a key role in Bangladesh’s victory over Sri Lanka in the semi-final, scoring 43 off 18 balls, though the team ultimately lost in the final.
He posted an impressive strike-rate of 157.38 in that tournament.
“My most frustrating moment was the 2016 World Cup against India in Bangalore.
That was a life-changing experience for me, a huge learning curve.
But the great moment was the Nidahas Trophy match against Sri Lanka,” he said.
In 139 T20Is, Mahmudullah has scored 2,395 runs at a strike rate of 117.74 and has taken 40 wickets.
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