Bangladesh batsman Mahmudullah has decided to hang his boots from Test cricket after the conclusion of the on-going one-off Test against Zimbabwe. The right-handed batsman’s decision who scored 150 in the first innings against Zimbabwe has come as a “shock” to his teammates and the team management.
"Yes, he (Mahmudullah) had informed me that he does not want to prolong his Test career after this game. But he did not inform us anything officially and we have to see whether it's an emotional outburst or not," a top-ranked official of BCB confirmed to Cricbuzz on request of anonymity on Friday.
BCB president Nazmul Hasan said that he found this pretty “unusual” especially after Mahmudullah had agreed to play all the formats earlier.
"No one officially told me anything. But one called me and informed me that he (Mahmudullah) doesn't want to play Tests after the ongoing Test and he told that to everyone in the dressing room. But I found it very unusual. The game is not over yet," Nazmul was quoted in leading Bangladesh Daily Prothom Alo on Friday.
Sources close to OneCricket have confirmed that he had decided to bid adieu to the format after scoring the ton and had informed the same to the management and his teammates during a team meeting on Day 3. But the BCB had requested Mahmudullah to reconsider his decision.
Mahmudullah has played 49 Tests for Bangladesh and has notched up over 2700 runs at an average of 31.8. Bangladesh are presently playing Zimbabwe in the only Test in Harare.
Earlier, the visitors rode on some fine piece of batting from Mahmudullah to post 468 on the board in the first innings and then bundled out the home side for 276, courtesy a fifer from Mehidy Hasan and a four-wicket haul from Shakib to take the first innings lead.