There were rumors on social media platforms that Mahmudullah Riyad is set to retire from Test after the completion of Bangladesh’s ongoing one-off Test against Zimbabwe in Harare.
The rumors even started circulating on different news portals that Mahmudullah expressed his intentions of retiring to his teammates in the dressing room on Friday after the third day of Bangladesh’s ongoing Test.
However, Bangla news daily Prothom Alo reported that Mahmudullah had informed Bangladesh Cricket Board in writing about his intentions to continue playing in all formats for the foreseeable future before leaving for the Zimbabwe tour.
“We took in writing from everyone about who wants to play in which format. We did it four or five days before they left for Zimbabwe. Riyad mentioned that he wants to play in all three formats. He said that if he is given the chance, he would like to play Tests and that’s why he was included in the [Test] squad,” BCB president Nazmul Hassan was quoted as saying in the report.
Mahumudullah, however, did not say anything regarding his ‘intended retirement’ when he spoke to the media through video message after the end of the third day’s play of their ongoing Test in Harare.
Mahmudullah smashed an unbeaten 150 — his career-best score in Tests — on the second day of the Harare Test, making a strong statement on his return to the Test squad following a 17-month forced exile.
Mahmudullah was the last-minute inclusion to the Tigers’ previously announced 17-member Test squad for the Zimbabwe tour. The 35-year-old right-hander was dropped from the Test squad due to ‘poor performance’ back in February 2020, and was only added to the Test squad for the Zimbabwe tour just to lend some experience to the side if senior players like Tamim Iqbal and Mushfiqur Rahim miss out due to their injuries.
While Mushfiqur recovered in time from his hand injury, Tamim missed out playing in the match due to a knee injury and Mahmudullah was called back into the playing eleven.