On crutches, but hopeful

Bangladesh batter Mahmudullah Riyad said on Tuesday that he had no regrets looking back on his career after the 38-year-old announced he will retire from T20Is after the completion of the ongoing three-match T20I series against India. 

"No, never. I have never ever regretted at any stage or point of my life playing for Bangladesh," Mahmudullah told reporters in the pre-match press conference ahead of the second T20I in Delhi tomorrow.

"I've always said to myself and my team as well, I always want to be a team man no matter who the oppositions are. I tried to do it for the team. But I never regretted it. Never."

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"I have no regrets, not a single bit. I think playing for Bangladesh for so many years, quite a good thing personally. As much as I've played T20Is, I probably made my debut in 2007, it's been 17 years. I don't know how good I could do for the team, but I tried my level best. I tried to serve the team."

There had been speculations about the 38-year-old's future in the T20I side which is aiming to find their feet for the 2026 T20 World Cup. It only intensified after skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto promised "a new approach" and hinted that the veteran may discuss his future with the selectors ahead of the first match.

Mahmudullah, who made his T20I debut in 2007, has played 139 matches for Bangladesh, the most for the country, amassing 2395 runs – the second-highest after Shakib Al Hasan's 2551 - at an average of 23.48 and a strike rate of 117.74. 
 

Since the beginning of Bangladesh's three-match T20I series against hosts India, there have been speculations regarding Mahmudullah Riyad's retirement from the shortest format. Even Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) sources had revealed early on Tuesday that there was an announcement coming from Mahmudullah.

So, when the 38-year-old appeared for the pre-match press conference ahead of the Tigers' second T20I in Delhi yesterday, there was a certainty regarding the matter. But he still needed to clarify.

"Can you clear the air about the speculations going around regarding your T20I retirement?" he was asked.

Mahmudullah, for the most part of his career, had to adjust and adapt to situations that were not favourable or ideal. He had to do the same thing yesterday as well. With a wry smile on his face, Mahmudullah had to wait to answer the query as the mic was not working.

When the mic situation was finally fixed after a few minutes, he finally declared: "I'm retiring from the T20I cricket after the last game of this series.

"Actually, I was pretty decided before coming here [in India]. I talked with my family, captain, and coach. I also talked with the selector and the board president, mentioning that I'm retiring from this format. I think it's the right time to move on from this format and try to focus on the ODIs that's coming ahead."

Mahmudullah's retirement would bring the curtain down on not only his 17 years of experience at the top level but also on the era of Bangladesh's 'big five' in T20Is.

Mashrafe Bin Mortaza retired in 2017 while Mushfiqur Rahim and Tamim Iqbal stepped away in 2022.

After Shakib Al Hasan announced his retirement plans in Kanpur during this series -- stating that he had already played his final T20I -- Mahmudullah was the last one remaining from the Tigers' 'big five' in the format.

Mahmudullah was asked whether senior stars could not plan retirement properly, especially since T20 World Cups could serve as a better platform for such announcements from senior stars.

"I don't think that way. It depends on the individual. If I think I will retire from Bangladesh, probably it will be too late. Probably it won't be a good idea. I think this is the right time to take the decision and I think I took the right decision," he said.

Asked whether it was a disappointment for the 'big five' of Bangladesh cricket to end without a major trophy, Mahmudullah admitted that it was disappointing but mentioned that this is not how he would gauge achievements on the field.

"Yes, it is a bit sad but I won't accept that we don't have any achievement. If winning trophies is the benchmark, then a lot of legendary cricketers may not be called legends. So that's my thought."

Mahmudullah also reflected on the challenges he had to face while playing the role of a finisher -- a task that was made even harder in a team with consistent top-order failures.

"If I think about the finisher role, batting at number six or seven is probably the hardest job in T20I cricket as there remains a chance of failing in three of the five innings that you get to bat.

"Maybe you will help the team win in one innings while in another, you may do averagely. You have to be backed by the team and the team management no matter what the outside noise and no matter what the media says. More importantly, the team need to assure you," Mahmudullah said, hinting that perhaps he has not always received that support.

Just like his role as a finisher, there were hit and miss moments throughout his career -- like the time he helped Bangladesh win the game against Sri Lanka in the Nidahas Trophy in 2018 with an outrageous six, or, the time he disappointed with a questionable safe approach in the Super Eight game against Afghanistan in the T20 World Cup this year.

However, for Mahmudullah, there remain "no regrets".

Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto said the mix of youth and experience was important to the team and, in particular, he hoped Mahmudullah Riyad and Shakib Al Hasan's experience would guide them during the difficult stages of the upcoming T20 World Cup.

The buildup to the main event has not exactly gone according to the Tigers' wishes, especially after back-to-back defeats to USA saw them lose the T20I series in Houston. The World Cup warm-up fixture against USA on Tuesday was cancelled due to weather conditions, leaving Bangladesh with only a warm-up game against India to get ready for the event proper.

Shanto had been appointed captain across all three formats in February this year and his only experience of leading the side in a World Cup game had come in the ODI World Cup last year, when he took the reins against Sri Lanka in Shakib Al Hasan's absence.

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Shanto's captaincy, too, will be in focus this World Cup and he hoped that Shakib and Mahmudullah will guide the side with their experience.

"Having such experienced cricketers on the team is a big plus point, especially for those playing in their first World Cup," Shanto was quoted in a Bangladesh Cricket Board interview published on Tuesday.

"There's a lot to learn from them. They also have leadership experience, and they will help me during difficult times. Whenever I need something, they come forward. Hopefully, the World Cup will not be an exception," he added.

The Tigers have quite a number of stars who may not be considered veterans but have nonetheless been in the national fold for a long time. Players such as Soumya Sarkar, Liton Das, Mustafizur Rahman and Taskin Ahmed have become senior stars themselves, and Towhid Hridoy and skipper Shanto are not far off, while the likes of opener Tanzid Tamim, keeper-batter Jaker Ali Anik, and spinners Rishad Hossain and Tanvir Islam are yet to play in a global event.

In terms of performances, Shanto wanted the players to contribute. His special wish was for Shakib to share his experience.

"If you are talking of something different altogether [in terms of expecting something from a squad member] I would like Shakib bhai to share his experience with everyone. The experiences he gathered over the last few years is something that can help the younger players and it is something that he has been doing as well," he said.

Shakib, who has led the side in the last two World Cups and is the only player other than India's Rohit Sharma to have featured in all editions of the T20 World Cups, will have a role to play to guide Bangladesh's newest World Cup captain, who said that big dreams, even if they do not divulge them, have to be there.

"When we go to play in a big tournament, we must go with big dreams.

"Our bonding is very good and we understand each other very well. That's very important and the mix of senior and junior players is very good," Shanto added.

Bangladesh's first World Cup game is a hugely crucial one to their chances of making the Super Eight of the tournament. In facing Sri Lanka, tempers will flare, and nerves will be tested, and the two veterans will have a part to play in helping the youngsters.

Two boys about the same age were walking down the adjacent streets of the Green Park stadium in Kanpur after the first day's play between hosts India and Bangladesh was washed out today.

The two friends were gossiping among themselves, perhaps left slightly disappointed by the fact they had to leave the stadium earlier than expected. There was another thing in common -- both of them were wearing jerseys with the name 'Virat' and the number 18 printed on their backs.

Where they were different was one had India's white-ball kit and the other had the Test kit. The two were heading back home, chatting among themselves when they caught the attention of a few members of the Bangladesh media covering the second Test in Kanpur.

They informed that they were academy players of the Green Park stadium and had gotten free passes to watch the game. They were obviously fans of star Indian batter Virat Kohli, but when asked who was their favourite from the Bangladesh team, the answer came in unison: 'Shakib'.

It was not just Bangladesh's premier all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan they admired.

"Mahmudullah Riyad is someone I like," said one of the boys named Omar. Asked why, he added: "He has got style but also I like Taskin's [Ahmed] bowling."

Even at this age, there was competition for places in their academy as both informed that "it's hard to get a place in the matches, don't get many."

With 'Virat' on their backs, it was not a surprise that the duo who lived near the stadium area were harbouring dreams of someday playing for India, just like their heroes.

Bangladesh are going into the upcoming T20 World Cup with quite a few young guns in the squad, led by a young skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto. But it is two of their veterans -- Mahmudullah Riyad and Shakib Al Hasan -- who could give the side a lift with their experience in the USA and the West Indies.

Mahmudullah's journey to this World Cup was one of determination. Unable to make the squad in the 2022 T20 World Cup in Australia, Mahmudullah showed the virtue of remaining steadfast in his own plans, staying away from media attention, and being keen on following his own process to earn back his place in the lineup for the 2023 ODI World Cup before he made the cut for the 2024 T20 World Cup.

While many of his veteran colleagues such as Mushfiqur Rahim, Tamim Iqbal, and Mashrafe Bin Mortaza have not been in the T20 picture for a while now, Mahmudullah's resilience has seen him not only earn his place back in the side but also made him a crucial cog in the Tigers' machine.

In the last 12 months, Mahmudullah averaged 47.66, the highest among Bangladesh batters who bat in the middle order (from wickets 4-7). His strike rate is also the highest amongst batters in the middle-order who at least played five matches during this period.

Fondly called the 'silent killer', Mahmudullah's steps may have been silent but his impact had been felt by the team management. Head coach Chandika Hathurusingha said that a change in approach worked for him, and, come the end of the innings, his role would be a crucial one for the Tigers in the shortest format.

"He's been playing regularly but his come back, I thought, was strong. Lately, if you see, he's playing his best cricket. He's changed his batting approach a lot and is in good form. His role is going to be batting in the middle order, probably be the enforcer in the middle as well as playing the role of a finisher, which he has done remarkably well in all formats and in the domestic matches as well lately," Hathurusingha said on Wednesday at the press conference during which the World Cup squad was named.

The veteran had also earned the board's trust and the high-ups have ensured him that they would not push for his retirement after the World Cup. "We haven't spoken about these things (his retirement from T20Is after the World Cup). I don't think there is anything like that because he is still playing and the way he is playing now is brilliant," BCB president Nazmul Hassan Papon told reporters following a recent meeting with the player.

Along with Mahmudullah, another experienced campaigner in Shakib's role will be vital for Bangladesh in crunch moments. In what could be both the stalwarts' last dance at a World Cup, Shakib, and Mahmudullah would be expected to make an impact not only through their performances but also by spreading their knowledge of the game among a rather inexperienced and young side.

Shakib, who recently returned to the T20I lineup after a 10-month gap, led the side in both the T20 World Cups in Australia and the ODI World Cup in India in 2023. This time, Shakib's leadership would be spread across a different arc, not related to just on-field decisions.

Skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto did not feign to have knowledge of their retirement plans but felt the younger stars needed to give those two some 'good memories' in their final years.

"What we will want is that they spread their experience among the other players so that the small improvements can be made," Shanto had said about Shakib and Mahmudullah.

The Tigers' young squad would certainly be looking up to the two veterans' experience to guide them.