Bangladesh all-rounder Mahmadullah has announced that the ongoing India-Bangladesh T20I series will be his last.
Mahmudullah is set to retire from T20Is as Bangladesh's most-capped player in the format, and if he plays both games, end as joint-third among players with the men's most T20I appearances.
"I am retiring from T20 cricket after the last game," Mahmudullah said during a press conference ahead of the second T20I, in Delhi. I was pre-decided before coming here. I had a chat with my family. I spoke to the coach, captain, chief selector and the board president as well.
"I think it is the right time to move on from this format for me and the team, especially with the World Cup coming up in less than two years. I will concentrate on the one-day game."
Mahmudullah, who turns 39 in February, has played in eight out of nine men's T20 World Cups so far (he did not play in 2022), and is fourth among the most-capped players in the tournament's history.
Among T20I career runs, he is succeeded only by Shakib Al Hasan from Bangladesh.
His T20I debut came in 2007, in a quadrangular series in Kenya: ever since, he's proved to be one of Bangladesh's premier all-format players. He will retire with the third-longest T20I career after Sean Williams and Shakib.
Mahmudullah retired from Test cricket in 2021, making a shock announcement during a one-off Test against Zimbabwe. He will continue to be available for ODIs, and will be eyeing the 2025 Champions Trophy next, a format in which he's the fourth-best among Bangladesh's all-time run-makers.
He was dismissed for 1(2) in the first T20I against India in Gwalior, which his team lost by seven wickets. The next T20I will be played in New Delhi on October 9.
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