Mushfiqur Rahman has been one of the finest cricketers for Bangladesh. The veteran officially retired from ODI cricket on March 5, 2025, following Bangladesh's disappointing Champions Trophy campaign. He ended a 19-year 50-over career as Bangladesh's second-highest run-scorer (7,795 runs) and the most-capped player, with 274 matches. The wicket-keeper batter has recently played a Test vs Pakistan.
Ahead of the second Test match, Mushfiqur Rahim was asked about his potential return to ODI cricket and reversing his white-ball retirement. But he ruled out the possibility of returning to ODI cricket again by reversing his retirement. As per the reports from Cricbuzz, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB), who are undergoing turmoil, requested him to reconsider his ODI retirement.
My service will not required- Mushfiqur Rahim
Mushfiqur Rahim admitted that he officially got the request from BCB. He does not have any desire to play ODIs again, despite the upcoming 2027 ICC World Cup, scheduled in South Africa.
However, dismissing the rumour, the wicket-keeper said told reporters at Sylhet on Friday, "I think that yes, obviously the message came to me (about returning to ODI cricket) but I think that the Bangladesh team is at such a stage now and will go to such a stage in the future that my service will not required (in ODIs)."
I saw Nahid Rana and saw him up close- Mushfiq said about Nahid Rana
Mushfiqur Rahim is also happy with the rise of Bangladesh’s young pacer Nahid Rana, as the pacer has been bowling well in recent years. The veteran shared his experience of meeting the pacer for the first time, and was impressed with his hard work and dedication towards the game.
"I played for Sylhet for the last two years (in the domestic first-class tournament) but when I last played for Rajshahi that's when I saw Nahid Rana and saw him up close and played with him," he said.
"So from then on, I liked him very much and I knew that InshaAllah, he will definitely play for the national team in the future. But since then, his interest in learning or his desire to improve himself is very rare in any young player," he said.
Sylhet has always had a very nice batting wicket- Mushfiqur Rahim drops update on pitch
"Though I didn't play for Rajshahi, but even then, I was never surprised to see his (Rana's) growth because that day, when I saw that, I realized that he still has this desire, even after doing so well, the way he thinks about a particular batsman or his work ethic or his food and drink, it's a very good sign. If any young player is not like this, then the team's environment actually becomes different," he added.
Mushfiqur Rahim leaked the pitch report ahead of the 2nd Test match vs Pakistan. He said that the wicket will assist the batters, but there is a forecast of rain again which can play a spoil sport. "I think the weather is a bigger challenge than your wicket and recently we played a BCL match here too. So Sylhet has always had a very nice batting wicket."
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