Mushfiqur Rahim retired from ODIs after Bangladesh couldn’t qualify for the semi-final of the Champions Trophy 2025. The 37-year-old wicketkeeper-batter pulled the curtains down on his 50-over career after he scored only two runs from as many games in the mega event against India and New Zealand.
Mushfiqur Rahim put forth his decision through a post on Instagram where he said that he has had his fair share of challenges over the last two weeks. The veteran decided to retire on the same day as Steve Smith bid goodbye to ODI cricket following Australia’s defeat to India in the semi-final on Tuesday in Dubai.
The Bogra-born Mushfiqur Rahim made his debut back in 2005 against Zimbabwe in Harare and his ODI career spanned 19 years. Having also retired from T20Is in 2022, Mushfiqur is only available to play Test cricket for the Tigers.
Mushfiqur Rahim’s ODI career A glimpse
Mushfiqur Rahim made his ODI debut in 2006 – the same year he led Bangladesh at the U19 World Cup – and scored his first half-century against Zimbabwe in Harare. His second half-century came in a memorable win over India at the 2007 ODI World Cup in the Caribbean. Mushfiqur Rahim retired from T20Is in September 2022 to focus on ODIs and Tests. He’s now just six Tests away from becoming the first ever Bangladeshi batter to 100 games in the format.
Mushfiqur made his ODI debut against Zimbabwe in August, 2006. He now retires as the most capped Bangladesh player in the format with 274 matches under his belt, in which he scored 7,795 runs at an average of 36.42 including nine centuries with a career-best of 144. As a wicketkeeper, he took 243 catches and affected 56 stumpings behind the stumps.
Mushfiqur Rahim has played the highest number of ODIs for Bangladesh (274). Shakib Al Hasan (247), Tamim Iqbal (243), Mahmudullah (239) and Mashrafe Mortaza (218) are the other Bangladesh cricketers to have played more than 200 ODIs in their career. Mushfiqur Rahim retired as Bangladesh’s second-highest run-scorer in ODIs (7795 from 274 matches). Only Tamim Iqbal is ahead of him with 8357 runs.
Mushfiqur Rahim is fourth in the all-time list of most ODI runs as a designated wicketkeeper. In 260 matches, he scored 7254 runs with 7 hundreds and 47 fifties. Only Kumar Sangakkara (13341), MS Dhoni (10773) and Adam Gilchrist (9410) are ahead of him. Mushfiqur Rahim is fifth in the list of most dismissals affected by a wicketkeeper in ODIs (297). Kumar Sangakkara (482) holds the top spot followed by Adam Gilchrist (472), MS Dhoni (444) and Mark Boucher (424).
Mushfiqur Rahim holds the record for the highest individual score by a Bangladeshi batter in the Asia Cup. Back in 2018, he scored 144 against Sri Lanka at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. Mushfiqur Rahim is only one of the three Bangladeshi batters to have scored a hundred in the ODI World Cup, along with Mahmudullah (3) and Shakib Al Hasan (2).
Veteran Bangladesh batter Mushfiqur Rahim announces ODI retirement
Veteran Bangladesh cricketer Mushfiqur Rahim has announced his retirement from One-Day International cricket, effective immediately. The 37-year-old’s decision came even as the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) announced their central contracts list and placed the former skipper in the A Category.
The keeper-batter made his maiden ODI appearance against Zimbabwe in Harare in 2006 and has played 274 matches in the format, making him the most-capped player for Bangladesh. With 7795 runs in 274 appearances, his tally is also the second-highest for the nation as far as ODIs are concerned. Mushfiqur Rahim has already announced his retirement from T20Is.
The Bogra-born cricketer acknowledged that the team fell well short of achieving what they aimed to, but stated that he gave everything every time he stepped on the field. He wrote on Facebook:
“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.”
“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.” May Almighty Allah forgive us and grant righteous Iman to all. Lastly, I would like to deeply thank my family, friends and my fans for whom I have played cricket for the last 19 years. JazakAllah Khair.”
The Tigers ended their Champions Trophy campaign winless, losing to India and New Zealand. Their match against Pakistan was abandoned due to rain.
Mushfiqur Rahim, however, is unlikely to step away from Test cricket and will don the whites for the national team. He is currently the highest run-getter for Bangladesh in Test cricket, with 6007 runs in 94 Tests at an average of 37.77. He also has 113 Test dismissals, 297 in ODIs and 62 in T20Is. The Tigers’ next international assignment is yet to be announced.