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Published : 12 Mar 2025, 08:58 PM
Barely a moment after Mushfiqur Rahim’s farewell from one-day internationals, another chapter closes in Bangladesh cricket.
Mahmudullah Riyad, having already retired from Test and T20 cricket, has now announced his retirement from ODIs, marking the end of his international cricket career.
The 39-year-old cricketer shared the decision on social media on Wednesday night.
He wrote, “I have decided to retire from international cricket.
“I would like to thank all of my teammates, coaches, and especially my fans who have always supported me.”
In his farewell message, Mahmudullah also thanked his parents and his wife’s family.
He expressed gratitude to his older brother, Emdad Ullah, for being a "coach and mentor" by his side since childhood.
He also mentioned his wife and children.
“And finally thanks to my wife & kids who have been my support system through thick & thin. I know Raeid [Mahmudullah's son] will miss me in the red & green jersey,” the cricketer said.
Before the Champions Trophy, Mahmudullah was in excellent form, having scored fifties in four consecutive matches.
However, he was unable to play the first match due to injury.
In the second match, the cricketer was dismissed for just 4 runs after a poor shot.
After the Champions Trophy, many questions arose regarding Mahmudullah’s future alongside Mushfiqur.
The next ODI World Cup is two and a half years away, by which time Mahmudullah will be close to 42.
During the announcement of the board's central contract this year, it was revealed that Mahmudullah had requested not to be included in the contract, which gave a clearer picture of his future.
The official farewell follows in that context.
However, his farewell message hinted that it was not quite as he had envisioned.
"Not everything comes to an end perfectly, but you say 'yes' and move forward.
“Best wishes to my team and Bangladesh cricket," he concluded.
The version he is retiring from – ODI – is the same format in which his international journey began.
After the 2007 World Cup, he made his debut during the Sri Lanka tour.
He became a regular member of the team in 2008, often batting at No. 6, 7, or 8.
Mahmudullah did not get many opportunities to play big innings but contributed regularly.
His off-spin also made him an important figure in the team's balance.
The first chance to bat higher up the order came in 2011.
After the World Cup, in the final match of a three-match ODI series against Australia in Mirpur, he batted at No. 4, scoring an unbeaten 68 off 61 balls.
However, he was later moved down the order again.
Over time, the cricketer became a trusted "finisher" for the team.
Before the 2015 World Cup, he was promoted to No. 4 in the series against Zimbabwe, and after his good performance, he was kept at No. 4 for the World Cup.
His career's most memorable moment came during that time.
In the match in Adelaide, which secured Bangladesh's quarter-final spot, Mahmudullah played a match-winning knock of 103 runs.
This was Bangladesh's first-ever century in a World Cup.
He followed it up with another century against New Zealand in the next match.
However, he could not stay at the top of the batting order for long and was moved back to No. 6 or 7.
In the 2017 Champions Trophy, during a match against New Zealand in Cardiff, he played a magnificent century under pressure, sharing a record partnership with Shakib Al Hasan, guiding Bangladesh to a memorable win.
This win took Bangladesh to their first-ever semi-final in an International Cricket Council, or ICC, event.
He remained an integral part of the team for many years, but dark times also came.
After the 2023 series against England, he lost his place in the team.
He made a return just before the World Cup that year, where he had a successful campaign despite Bangladesh's disappointing performance.
He scored 328 runs at an average of 54.66 across seven innings, including a century against South Africa.
In the following year, however, his form dipped, and questions arose about his place in the squad.
Mahmudullah responded with four consecutive fifties.
Despite that, his career did not stretch on for too long after that.
After playing 239 ODIs, Mahmudullah finished his career with 5,689 runs, including 4 centuries and 32 fifties, with an average of 36.46.
He also took 82 wickets with his off-spin.
The cricketer retired from Test cricket after playing 50 matches in 2021, and in October 2024, he ended his 141-match T20 career with a tour of India.
