Mahmudullah Riyad’s retirement: A glimpse of his international cricket journey
Bangladesh’s veteran all-rounder Mahmudullah Riyad has decided to bid adieu to international cricket. On March 12, 2025, he announced his retirement from all forms of cricket, bringing an end to his nearly two-decade-long career. Mahmudullah’s career has been very important for Bangladesh cricket, in which he has given many memorable moments.
Mahmudullah Riyad debut and contribution to international cricket
Mahmudullah made his ODI debut for Bangladesh in 2007 against Sri Lanka. Right from his debut, he emerged as a permanent all-rounder for the team. His playing style saw him bat in the lower middle order as well as bowl when required. His consistent contributions across all three formats helped Bangladesh win many matches.
Mahmudullah’s batting record
Mahmudullah played 430 international matches in his career, including 50 Tests, 239 ODIs and 141 T20 matches. In these matches, he scored 11,047 runs, including nine centuries. His most impressive performance came in the 2017 ICC Champions Trophy, when he along with Shakib Al Hasan made a historic partnership against New Zealand. His batting average showed that he was a reliable batsman who scored runs for the team in big matches.
Mahmudullah’s key batting statistics:
Tests: 2914 runs, average 33.49
ODIs: 5689 runs, average 36.46
T20Is: 2444 runs, average 23.50
Mahmudullah’s contribution in bowling
Mahmudullah also made a significant contribution to his team in bowling. As a part-time off-spinner, he took a total of 166 wickets in international cricket. His major bowling moment came against the West Indies in 2009, when he took five wickets in a Test match.
Mahmudullah’s bowling stats:
Tests: 43 wickets, average 45.53
ODIs: 82 wickets, average 46.45
T20Is: 41 wickets, average 27.68
Captaincy role
Mahmudullah also captained Bangladesh in Test and T20 cricket. Although he did not get a chance to lead the ODI team, Bangladesh won many important matches under his captaincy. In Tests, he led Bangladesh in 6 matches, while in T20 cricket, he led the team in 43 matches.
Mahmudullah Riyad captaincy stats:
Tests: 6 matches, 1 win, 4 losses, 1 draw
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T20Is: 43 matches, 16 wins, 29 losses, 1 draw
Mahmudullah’s retirement is a big moment for Bangladesh cricket. His contributions will be remembered for a long time and he will remain a prominent face of Bangladesh cricket.
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