Mushfiqur Rahim retires from ODIs

Bangladesh star batter Mushfiqur Rahim announced his retirement from ODI cricket. He announced his retirement through a social media post on Wednesday night, report

agencies.

"I am announcing my retirement from the ODI format as of today," he wrote. "Alhamdulillah for everything. While our achievements 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 per cent with dedication and honesty." The right-handed wicketkeeper batter played his first ODI in 2006 against Zimbabwe in Harare. Since then, he has established himself as one of the most regular faces in the Bangladesh setup.

He represented Bangladesh in 274 ODIs-most by any Bangladeshi in this format.

Mushfiqur scored 7795 runs in this format with 9 centuries and 49 fifties. He has 243 catches and 56 stumpings too.

Mushfiqur's recent performance has been below average, which might have played a role in his decision to retire.

"The last few weeks have been very challenging for me, and I have come to realise that this is my destiny," he wrote on his social media, adding, "I would like to deeply thank my family, friends, and my fans, for whom I have played cricket for the last 19 years."

Mushfiqur also retired from T20Is earlier in September 2022. He will now only play Test cricket for Bangladesh and continue playing in the domestic circuit.

Widely hailed as a giant in Bangladesh's ODI history, Mushfiqur first made a mark in the 2007 World Cup, when he was picked ahead of the veteran Khaled Mashud. He immediately repaid the selectors' faith, scoring a fifty in the famous victory against India in Trinidad. Mushfiqur quickly became a middle-order mainstay, and barring a brief spell in 2008 when he lost his place, he was a constant presence in Bangladesh sides for almost two decades.

Meanwhile, seasoned cricketer Mushfiqur Rahim received a guard of honor from his Mohammedan Sporting Club teammates during their Dhaka Premier League (DPL) match against Rupganj Tigers Cricket Club at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium at Mirpur in the capital on Thursday.

The heartfelt tribute came in recognition of Mushfiqur's immense contribution to Bangladesh cricket, following his announcement to retire from One-Day Internationals (ODIs) last night through a Facebook post.

Mushfiqur, one of Bangladesh's most decorated cricketers, leaves behind an extraordinary ODI legacy. With 274 matches, he holds the record for the most ODI appearances for Bangladesh. His 7,795 runs make him the country's second-highest run-scorer in the format.

A stalwart behind the stumps, he remains Bangladesh's most successful wicketkeeper, with 243 catches and 56 stumpings. Mushfiqur also captained the national side in 37 ODIs and is one of the few cricketers to have played in five ICC ODI World Cups.

Globally, he is one of only five wicket-keepers to have played over 250 ODIs. Among his nine ODI centuries, seven came as a designated keeper, placing him fourth in the all-time list of wicketkeeper-batters, behind Kumar Sangakkara, Adam Gilchrist, and MS Dhoni.

While bidding farewell to ODIs, Mushfiqur remains on course to become the first Bangladeshi cricketer to reach the 100-Test milestone, currently standing at 94 matches.