End of an Era: Mahmudullah Retires from International Cricket, Signaling the Close of Bangladesh's 'Big 5' Era in ODIs

Mahmudullah has cemented his place as one of Bangladesh's most successful batsmen, finishing as the team's fourth-highest run-getter with a total of 5689 runs at an impressive average of 36.46. His record includes four centuries and 32 half-centuries, putting him in the company of legends like Mushfiqur Rahim, Shakib Al Hasan, and Tamim Iqbal. In a heartfelt statement on his official Facebook page, Mahmudullah expressed gratitude to the Almighty Allah and announced his decision to retire from international cricket.

"I would like to thank all of my team-mates, coaches and especially my fans who have always supported me. A big thank you to my parents, my in-laws, especially my father in law & most importantly my brother Emdad Ullah, who has been there for me constantly since my childhood as my coach & mentor.

"And finally, thanks to my wife & kids, who have been my support system through thick & thin. I know Raeid will miss me in red and green jersey. Not everything comes to an end in a perfect way, but you say yes and move forward. Peace, Alhamdulillah. Best wishes to my team & Bangladesh cricket."

Mahmudullah's international career thus started and ended with an ODI match. His first match for Bangladesh was an ODI against Sri Lanka on July 25, 2007. He played his first T20I for Bangladesh against Kenya on September 1 that year and his first Test came against the West Indies starting on July 9, 2009. Mahmudullah's retirement comes just days after his longtime teammate Mushfiqur retired from ODIs. The latter had earlier retired from the shortest format after the 2022 T20 World Cup but continues to be active in Test cricket.

End of Bangladesh's Big 5 era

Mahmudullah's retirement brings the curtains on an era of a quintet of Bangladesh players, often called the "Big 5", who were among the most succesfull cricketers in the country's history - including Mushfiqur, Shakib, Tamim Iqbal and Mashrafe Mortaza. All five have captained Bangladesh in at least one format at some point of their respective careers, with Mortaza largely credited with powering their rise in limited overs cricket.

Mortaza last played ODIs in 2020, when he also signed off from captaincy. Tamim reconfirmed his retirement from international cricket earlier this year. Shakib had announced his Test and T20I retirement in India last year, while also informing at the time that the Champions Trophy would be his last ODI assignment. Having missed the tournament due to various reasons, his ODI career now seems finished, too.

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