On the eve of the second T20I game on the recently concluded three-match series in India, the veteran all-rounder of the side, Mahmudullah, had already announced that the third and final game of the series at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad would be his last, as he announced the second Delhi clash.
Mahmudullah, who made his debut in the shortest format of the game in 2007, has ended his 141-game career with 2444 runs at an average of under 24 and a strike rate of nearly 120, shouldering on eight half-centuries with a best score of unbeaten 64 runs.
The 38-year-old, perhaps, expected a fairytale farewell from his side, who had already lost the series by then with a 2-0 margin. The right-handed batting all-rounder, however, has informed us that he will continue to be part of the 50-over squad.
“I am retiring from T20I cricket after the last game of this series. I was pre-decided before coming here. It is the right time to move on from this format for me and the team.” Mahmudullah expressed in the press conference with a heavy heart. “Especially with the World Cup coming up in less than two years. I will concentrate on the one-day game.”
With the ball, Mahmudullah has picked up 41 wickets in 80 innings at an average of under 28 and a strike rate of 23 with an economy rate of just over seven, thanks to his best bowling figures of 3/10. When it comes to the 20-over format around the world, he has notched up 6024 runs in 332 games at an average of 25 and a strike rate of 120, thanks to his 23 half-centuries.
Watch: India spoils party for Bangladesh in last T20I of Mahmudullah
One hardly expected the ball to fly around the ground that much in Hyderabad during the third T20I game. The IPL games this season have already given many signs of how brutal the batters could prove to be on this ground, while the bowlers, had to be at their best in terms of skillset.
Winning the toss the Suryakumar Yadav-led side decided to bat first before they lost their left-handed opening batter, Abhishek Sharma, while the wicket-keeper batter and the opener of the team, Sanju Samson, put up a thrilling partnership with the captain of 173 runs for the second wicket.
Mayank Yadav gets his second wicket 👌👌
Mahmudullah departs for 8 as Riyan Parag takes a composed catch in the deep
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The former celebrated his maiden century of the format and finished with 111 runs in 47 deliveries, with the help of 11 boundaries and eight sixes at a strike rate of over 230. Hardik Pandya drilled 47 runs in 18 deliveries, shouldering on four boundaries and as many as sixes.
Riyan Parag also showed his muscle for 34 runs in just 13 deliveries. All the Bangladesh bowlers flew around the park. Mahmudullah, in his last T20I game, was been thrown the ball by the captain Najmul Hossain Shanto.
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The Tigers again struggled with the bat in hand and found themselves three down inside the powerplay. The chase of 298 was never going to happen, but Litton Das and Towhid Hridoy displayed their class with the bat in hand. The former fetched 42 runs in 25 deliveries with a strike rate of over 160, while the latter remained unbeaten on 63 runs in 42 deliveries.
Suryakumar congratulated Mahmudullah on his farewell T20I game, who could nail one boundary in the innings and finished with eight runs in nine balls with a strike rate of under 100, as the visitors fell short by 133 runs. They ended the series on the negative side of the finishing line with a 3-0 margin.