After a disappointing Champions Trophy campaign, the 37-year-old batsman has decided to retire from ODI cricket.
Following discussions and criticisms surrounding his performance, Mushfiqur Rahim has finally made his decision—he is bidding farewell to ODI cricket.
On Wednesday night, the experienced Bangladeshi batsman announced his retirement via social media.
“From today, I am announcing my retirement from the ODI format.”
“Alhamdulillah for everything. Our achievements on the global stage may be limited, but one thing is certain—every time I stepped onto the field for my country, I gave more than 100% with dedication and integrity.”
Back in September 2022, Mushfiqur had also announced his retirement from T20I cricket through social media. With his ODI departure, an era of Bangladesh cricket comes to an end—one filled with glory, achievements, and unforgettable moments, but also setbacks and disappointments.
During the recent Champions Trophy, Mushfiqur was dismissed for a golden duck against India in the first match. In the next game against New Zealand, he managed only 2 runs. His mode of dismissal in that match triggered heavy criticism within Bangladesh’s cricket community. After losing both opening matches, Bangladesh was eliminated from the tournament.
As one of the team’s most senior players, Mushfiqur faced significant scrutiny for the team’s failure. It wasn’t just about this tournament—his performances had been underwhelming for quite some time. In his last 14 ODI innings, he managed only one half-century, falling for a single-digit score in seven of them.
His last ODI century came in March 2023 against Ireland. Since then, he had gone 27 innings without reaching three figures.
Despite his experience, the team had high hopes for him in the Champions Trophy. However, after his struggles in the tournament, questions about his future became louder. By the time of the next ODI World Cup in October-November 2027, Mushfiqur would be 40 years old. There were ongoing debates about whether he should remain in the Bangladesh Cricket Board’s central contract and whether the team should start preparing for the future.
After a BCB meeting on Monday, the head of the cricket operations department, Nazmul Abedeen, hinted at the board’s stance, stating that it would be difficult for Mushfiqur and Mahmudullah to continue playing until the next World Cup. This gave a clear indication of the board’s thinking.
Mushfiqur’s decision now aligns with that sentiment. His farewell message reflected an understanding that the time had come.
“The past few weeks have been extremely challenging for me, and I have come to realize that this is my destiny.”
“Finally, I want to deeply thank my family, friends, and fans who have supported me throughout my 19-year cricketing journey.”
Although his ending in ODI cricket wasn’t ideal, Mushfiqur’s career remains one of the brightest in Bangladesh’s cricket history. He has been one of the key figures in transforming Bangladesh cricket.
Mushfiqur holds the record for the most ODIs played for Bangladesh (274), scoring 7,795 runs at an average of 36.42. Only Tamim Iqbal has scored more runs (8,357) in ODIs for Bangladesh. Mushfiqur also ranks second in centuries (9), behind only Tamim (14), and has scored 49 half-centuries.
His highest ODI score came in the 2018 Asia Cup when he played a heroic 144-run innings in the scorching heat of Dubai despite suffering from rib pain. Many consider it one of the greatest innings in Bangladesh’s ODI history.
Mushfiqur played several other unforgettable innings, including:
- 99 in the 2018 Asia Cup semi-final-like match
- 89 off 77 balls against England in the 2015 World Cup, helping Bangladesh to a historic victory
- 106 off 77 balls against Pakistan in 2015 at Mirpur
- 83 off 87 balls against Afghanistan in the 2019 World Cup
- 56* against India in the 2007 World Cup, sealing a historic win
- 46 off 25 balls against India in the 2012 Asia Cup, playing a key role in Bangladesh’s victory
His wicketkeeping records are also unmatched in Bangladesh cricket. Mushfiqur holds the records for the most dismissals (297), most catches (241), and most stumpings (56) in ODIs for Bangladesh.
As a captain, he led the team in 37 ODIs, with the highlight being Bangladesh’s appearance in the 2012 Asia Cup final.
After making his international debut in a Test match at Lord’s in 2005, Mushfiqur played his first ODI the following year. Over time, he became a mainstay in Bangladesh’s ODI setup, delivering many of his best performances in this format. But now, that chapter has come to an end.
With his retirements from T20Is and ODIs, Mushfiqur’s international career now remains solely in Test cricket. A major milestone awaits him there—he is just six matches away from becoming Bangladesh’s first-ever cricketer to play 100 Test matches. If everything goes well, he could reach this landmark within this year. However, he will face a performance challenge there as well, having failed to score a fifty in his last 10 Test innings.
