Barely moments after Mushfiqur Rahim bid farewell to one-day internationals, another significant chapter in Bangladesh cricket has come to an end.
Mahmudullah Riyad, who had previously retired from Test and T20 cricket, has now announced his retirement from ODIs, officially marking the conclusion of his international career.
The 39-year-old cricketer made the announcement on social media on Wednesday night.
In his statement, he wrote, “I have decided to retire from international cricket.
“I would like to thank all my teammates, coaches, and especially my fans, who have always supported me.”
Mahmudullah also expressed his gratitude to his parents and his wife’s family in his farewell message.
He extended a special thanks to his elder brother, Emdad Ullah, acknowledging him as both a “coach and mentor” who has been by his side since childhood.
He also mentioned his wife and children.
“And finally, thanks to my wife and kids, who have been my support system through thick and thin. I know Raeid will miss seeing me in the red and green jersey,” he added.
Before the Champions Trophy, Mahmudullah was in exceptional form, scoring four consecutive fifties. However, he was unable to participate in the first match due to an injury.
In the second match, he was dismissed for just four runs after playing a poor shot.
Following the Champions Trophy, speculation grew regarding Mahmudullah’s future, alongside Mushfiqur.
With the next ODI World Cup still two and a half years away, Mahmudullah would have been close to 42 by then.
Earlier this year, when the Bangladesh Cricket Board announced the central contract list, it was revealed that Mahmudullah had requested to be excluded, further hinting at his future plans.
His official retirement announcement follows in that context.
However, his farewell message suggested that things did not end exactly as he had hoped.
“Not everything ends perfectly, but you accept it and move forward.
“Best wishes to my team and Bangladesh cricket,” he concluded.
The format from which he is retiring—ODI—is the same format in which he began his international career.
Following the 2007 World Cup, he made his debut during Bangladesh’s tour of Sri Lanka.
By 2008, he had become a regular in the team, usually batting in the lower middle order at No. 6, 7, or 8.
Although he rarely had the chance to play long innings, he contributed consistently, and his off-spin made him a valuable asset in the team’s balance.
His first opportunity to bat higher in the order came in 2011.
After the World Cup, in the final ODI of a three-match series against Australia in Mirpur, he was promoted to No. 4 and played an unbeaten knock of 68 off 61 balls.
However, he was soon pushed back down the order.
Over time, Mahmudullah established himself as a reliable finisher for Bangladesh.
Ahead of the 2015 World Cup, he was promoted to No. 4 during a series against Zimbabwe. His strong performances ensured he retained that position for the tournament.
That World Cup turned out to be the highlight of his career.
In a historic match in Adelaide that secured Bangladesh’s first-ever World Cup quarter-final spot, Mahmudullah played a match-winning innings of 103 runs.
It was Bangladesh’s first century in World Cup history.
He followed it up with another century in the next match against New Zealand.
However, his time in the top order was short-lived, as he was later moved back down to No. 6 or 7.
One of his most memorable performances came in the 2017 Champions Trophy against New Zealand in Cardiff, where he played a stunning century under pressure.
He shared a record partnership with Shakib Al Hasan, guiding Bangladesh to a famous victory that took them to their first-ever semi-final in an ICC tournament.
Although he remained a key figure in the team for many years, difficult times also came.
After the 2023 series against England, he was dropped from the squad.
He made a comeback just before the 2023 World Cup, where he had a strong campaign despite Bangladesh’s overall disappointing performance.
He scored 328 runs across seven innings, averaging 54.66, including a century against South Africa.
However, his form declined in the following year, leading to further doubts about his place in the team.
He responded with four consecutive fifties, yet his career did not continue for much longer after that.
Having played 239 ODIs, Mahmudullah retires with 5,689 runs to his name, including four centuries and 32 fifties, at an average of 36.46.
With his off-spin, he also contributed 82 wickets.
He had already retired from Test cricket in 2021 after playing 50 matches, and in October 2024, he ended his 141-match T20 career with a tour of India.
