Bangladesh’s veteran cricketer Mushfiqur Rahim has announced his retirement from ODIs. To honour his career and express his gratitude, Mushfiqur’s longtime friend and teammate Tamim Iqbal took to social media — but not with just a simple post. Instead, Tamim shared a heartfelt video to mark the occasion.
“When someone retires, people usually post something on social media to share their feelings. But this time, it’s someone I have shared a journey with for 20 to 25 years. A mere post wouldn’t be enough,” Tamim said in the video after Mushfiqur’s retirement announcement.
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“I have seen how you grew step by step into one of the best batters Bangladesh has ever produced,” Tamim continued. “Since we have played together for so long, I know firsthand how hard Mushfiqur works. I think he works as hard as humanly possible — even now. Many people don’t know this, but I do.”
Mushfiqur had previously retired from T20Is in 2022, meaning Test cricket is now the only format he will continue playing. Tamim wished his friend well in Tests, hoping Mushfiqur can become the first Bangladeshi cricketer to play 100 Test matches.
“I can imagine how hard it was for him to make this decision,” Tamim added. “I hope he continues playing Tests and reaches the 100-Test milestone.”
The wicketkeeper-batter represented Bangladesh in 274 ODIs — the most by any Bangladeshi player in this format. Over his ODI career, Mushfiqur scored 7,795 runs, including 9 centuries and 49 half-centuries, while also taking 243 catches and completing 56 stumpings behind the wicket.
Mushfiqur’s recent performances in ODIs had been underwhelming, which likely played a role in his decision to retire. His lean patch also drew heavy criticism from fans and analysts.
“The last few weeks have been very challenging for me, and I have come to realize that this is my destiny,” Mushfiqur wrote on social media. “I would like to deeply thank my family, friends, and my fans, for whom I have played cricket for the last 19 years.”