Veteran Bangladesh cricketer Mushfiqur Rahim has announced his immediate retirement from One-Day International (ODI) cricket. His decision coincided with the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) releasing its central contracts list, where the former captain was placed in the A Category.
The wicketkeeper-batter made his ODI debut against Zimbabwe in Harare in 2006 and played 274 matches, making him Bangladesh’s most-capped player in the format. With 7,795 runs in 274 appearances, Rahim is also the country’s second-highest run-scorer in ODIs. He had earlier retired from T20 Internationals.
Born in Bogra, Mushfiqur Rahim admitted that the team fell short of their goals but emphasized that he always gave his best whenever he took the field. In a heartfelt Facebook post, he shared his thoughts on his journey.
“I am announcing my retirement from the ODI format as of today. Alhamdulillah for everything. While our achivements may have been limited on a global level, one thing is certain: whenever I stepped onto the field for my country, I gave more than 100% with dedication and honesty.”
“The last few weeks have been very challenging for me, and I have come to realize that this is my destiny. Allah says in the Quran: “Wa tu’izzu man tasha’ wa tu’zhilu man tasha’” – “And He honours whom He wills, and He disgraces whom He wills.”
“May Almighty Allah forgive us and grant righteous Iman to all. Lastly, I would like to deeply thank my family, friends and my fans for whom I have played cricket for the last 19 years. JazakAllah Khair.”
The Tigers finished their Champions Trophy campaign without a victory, suffering defeats against India and New Zealand, while their game against Pakistan was washed out due to rain.
Mushfiqur Rahim is expected to continue representing Bangladesh in Test cricket
However, Rahim is expected to continue his Test career and remain a key figure in Bangladesh’s red-ball squad. The experienced wicketkeeper-batter is currently the country’s highest run-scorer in Test cricket, having amassed 6,007 runs in 94 matches at an average of 37.77.
Rahim, a reliable wicketkeeper with 113 Test dismissals, is expected to remain key in Bangladesh’s Test squad. His experience will be vital for upcoming red-ball challenges.
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