Mushfiqur Rahim retirement: After owing to their crashing defeat against Sri Lanka in the last group stage match of the Asia Cup, Bangladesh wicketkeeper-batsman Mushfiqur Rahim has decided to retire from the T20Is and wants to shift his entire focus on Test and One Day Internationals. Rahim who is one of the stalwarts of Pakistan and has been one of their prominent figures made his T20I debut against Zimbabwe at the Sheikh Abu Naser Stadium on November 28, 2006.
The Bangladesh wicketkeeper-batsman has always been well-known for his antics behind the stumps and how chatty he is. Seeing the workload ahead of him, Rahim has now decided that he is done with 16 years long T20I cricket with the Bangladesh team. The Shakib Al Hasan-led Bangladesh team was touted as one of the favorites to win the Asia Cup and always had the upper hand against Sri Lanka as far as the multi-nation tournaments are considered. But this time around,
MUshfiqur Rahim in action against Australia
Sri Lanka registered a change in their fortunes and Bangladesh went crashing out of the tournament along with Hong Kong. Rahim was quite mediocre with the bat as he scored only 5 runs in two matches of the ongoing Aisa Cup which is being held in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The 35-year-old Bangladesh player could inflict only 1 dismissal in the two games that he played for Bangladesh.
Mushfiqur Rahim in action
Rahim first burst onto the international arena when he was handed over the Test cap of Bangladesh and took the field against England at Lord's on May 26, 2005. Plagued with an ankle injury, Mushfiqur had to wait for yet another year before he could be recalled into the side for his T20I debut against Zimbabwe. Since then he has been a prominent figure for Bangladesh in all three formats.
"I would like to announce my retirement from T20 INTERNATIONALS and focus on Test and ODI formats of the game. I will be available to play in franchise leagues when the opportunity arrives. Looking forward to proudly represent my nation in the two formats-MR15", said Rahim in his tweet as he announced his retirement from the shortest format of the game.
