Mahmudullah has 'no regrets' as he walks away from T20Is

He has played the most T20 matches for Bangladesh and tops the chart for the number of matches captained as well. He has contributed with both bat and ball, often becoming the hero in Bangladesh's victories.

Despite some unfulfilled ambitions in his long career, Mahmudullah Riyad smiled as he announced his retirement, focusing on the successes. The veteran cricketer declared his retirement from international T20 cricket, stating that he has no regrets at all.

In 2021, Mahmudullah retired from Test cricket, stepping away from the longest format with a hint of resentment. Since then, he has faced a challenging period. He lost the T20 captaincy and was dropped from the squad.

Although it was termed as rest, it felt like a long 'break' to him, which he saw as being left out. Yet, without losing his grip, he prepared himself and proved his form with his performance.

With an inspiring comeback story, he returned to the Bangladesh team. In the most recent T20 World Cup, he played all matches for the country. However, like the team's overall performance, Mahmudullah too remained lacklustre. A few months later, the team placed its trust in him for one final T20 series, which he chose as his farewell stage.

He decided from home that his last T20 series would be in India. As per that plan, today, the 38-year-old cricketer announced that the third and final T20 between Bangladesh and India on 12 October in Delhi would be his last match in this format. Before that, Mahmudullah stated, "I have no regrets, not even a little."

Debuting in T20 in 2007, Mahmudullah played the highest number of matches for the country, with 139 appearances over 17 years. With 2,395 runs, he stands second on the list of top run-scorers. Representing the country is his biggest achievement, "Playing for Bangladesh for so many years is a huge thing for me. Starting in 2007 and getting to where I am today, I'm not sure how successful I've been. But to be honest, I gave my best, and I'm happy."

When asked about the 'highlighted' moment of his career and retiring outside Bangladesh, Mahmudullah said, "The match in Bengaluru during the 2016 World Cup (the 1-run loss against India) is the most highlighted moment of my career. At the same time, it's also the most educative moment. But if I had to pick the best moment of my career, it would be the Nidahas Trophy in 2018, where I won the game against Sri Lanka with my bat."

"I don't think it's right to retire from home right now. If I think about retiring in Bangladesh, it won't look good, and it might not be the right thing to do. So, I feel this is the best time to announce my retirement." Mahmudullah, who ended his Test career during the Zimbabwe tour, will play his final international T20 in India.