Mushfiqur Rahim announces retirement from ODI cricket

Bangladesh cricketer Mushfiqur Rahim has announced his retirement from One Day International (ODI) cricket.

Mushfiqur Rahim, who has played the most ODIs for Bangladesh with 274 matches, made the announcement on social media. In his heartfelt message, Rahim expressed his gratitude to his family, friends, and fans for their unwavering support over the past 19 years. 

“I am announcing my retirement from the ODI format as of today. 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% with dedication and honesty,” Rahim wrote in his post.

He went on to reflect on the challenges of recent weeks and his realization that this decision was part of his destiny. 

"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.’ (3:26). May Almighty Allah forgive us and grant righteous Iman to all 🤲,” he further wrote. 

Rahim also thanked his family, friends, and fans for their constant support throughout the past 19 years.

"Lastly, I would like to deeply thank my family, friends and my fans for whom I have played cricket for the last 19 years," Rahim concluded. 

Mushfiqur Rahim, a wicketkeeper-batter, has also captained the Bangladesh national team. Over his 274 ODI appearances, he scored 7,795 runs, including 9 centuries and 49 half-centuries. This makes him the second-highest run-scorer for Bangladesh in ODIs. The record for the most runs in ODIs for Bangladesh is held by Tamim Iqbal, who has scored 8,357 runs.

In addition to his batting achievements, Rahim is also the leading wicketkeeper for Bangladesh, with 299 dismissals in ODIs, which include 243 catches and 56 stumpings.

Rahim retired from T20 internationals two years ago but will continue to play Test cricket.