Mahmudullah Announces Retirement From International Cricket After A Remarkable Career

After a stellar career spanning more than 17 years, Mahmudullah, the senior all-rounder for Bangladesh, has announced his retirement from international cricket.

With 5689 runs at an average of 36.46, including four hundred and thirty-two fifties, Mahmudullah ends as the fourth-highest run scorer in Bangladesh, behind Mushfiqur Rahim, Shakib Al Hasan, and Tamim Iqbal. A week before his retirement, his brother-in-law and longtime teammate Mushfiqur had also announced his retirement from ODIs.

When the BCB announced in a press release on Monday that Mahmudullah had asked the board to exclude him from the central contracts list after February 2025, it was interpreted as an indication that he would soon retire.

Mahmudullah announced on social media on Wednesday, thanking his coaches, teammates, and supporters for their unwavering support.

"All praises only for the Almighty Allah. 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. A big thank you to my parents, my in-laws, especially my father-in-law, and most importantly my brother Emdad Ullah, who has been there for me constantly since my childhood as my coach & mentor,” Mahmudullah posted on his Facebook page.

"And finally, thanks to my wife & kids, who have been my support system through thick & thin. I know Raeid will miss me in the red and green jersey. Not everything comes to an end in a perfect way, but you say yes and move forward. Peace…. Alhamdulillah. Best wishes to my team & Bangladesh cricket," he said.

Every one of Mahmudullah's hundreds occurred during ICC competitions. In the 2017 Champions Trophy in Cardiff, he scored an undefeated 102 against New Zealand after hitting two hundred in the 2015 ODI World Cup. Additionally, he scored 111 against South Africa in Mumbai during the 2023 ODI World Cup in India.

Following Bangladesh's early elimination from the 2025 Champions Trophy, Mahmudullah and Mushfiqur announced their retirements from ODI. Against New Zealand at Rawalpindi, Mahmudullah played just one innings, scoring four runs off of fourteen balls. However, Mahmudullah had been in outstanding form in the run-up to the tournament, having amassed four consecutive ODI fifties away from home against Afghanistan and the West Indies late last year.

In 2007, Mahmudullah made his ODI debut as a utility player who bowled off-spin and batted primarily at No. 7. In the 2011 World Cup match against England, he scored an unbeaten 58 for the ninth wicket alongside Shafiul Islam to lead Bangladesh to a two-wicket victory. This was his first pivotal moment. His undefeated fifties helped Bangladesh defeat the West Indies 3-2 in the ODI series the following year. 

Mahmudullah had even greater success in the 2015 World Cup, as he batted at No. 3 and hit consecutive hundreds against England and New Zealand. An unforgettable innings in Bangladeshi cricket history was his century in a 223-run partnership with Shakib against New Zealand during the 2017 Champions Trophy.

After being left off the team, Mahmudullah returned before the 2023 World Cup. He demonstrated his worth with the ball as well, claiming 82 wickets at a 5.21 economy rate. Mahmudullah captained Bangladesh in Test and Twenty20 international cricket, although he never led them in ODIs. Mahmudullah's retirement marks the end of Bangladesh's most successful five-player white-ball cricket team, which competed from 2006 until 2025.