[CRK]
Rubel Hossain Announces International Retirement from Cricket
Bangladesh fast bowler Rubel Hossain has announced his retirement from international cricket, ending a career that spanned 13 years and 159 matches across all formats.
Rubel, 36, made the announcement on his Facebook page, stating that he had decided to retire due to injuries that have increasingly limited his participation in domestic cricket as well.
A Career to Remember
Rubel will be remembered by Bangladesh fans for his match-winning display against England in a World Cup match in Adelaide in 2015. He took 4 for 53, including the wickets of Ian Bell, Eoin Morgan, Stuart Broad, and James Anderson.
“I am pacer Rubel Hossain. I have played 27 Tests, 104 ODIs, and 28 T20Is for Bangladesh,” he wrote. “The national team is my passion. But at some point, I had to leave international cricket. With that in mind, I said goodbye to international cricket. However, I intend to continue playing domestic cricket. Thank you to my family, friends, media personnel, and fans. I believe that you will continue to support me for the rest of my life.”
Rise to Prominence
Rubel burst onto the scene in 2009 when Champaka Ramanayake, then Bangladesh’s fast-bowling coach, discovered him in a countrywide pacer hunt. Rubel had a slingy bowling action and could clock 140kph on occasion.
He became the first Bangladesh bowler to take four wickets on ODI debut, his 4 for 33 helping beat Sri Lanka in Mirpur in 2009. This was followed by a late blowout against the same opponents in the final of that tri-series two days later.
ODI Success
Rubel found success in the ODI format, picking up 129 wickets at an average of 34.31. He is Bangladesh’s fifth-highest wicket-taker in the format at the time of his retirement, although Mehidy Hasan Miraz (126) is closing in quickly.
Rubel picked up seven four-wicket hauls and a five-for, a 6 for 26 against New Zealand that included a hat-trick, in 2013. Interestingly, Rubel had taken a hat-trick in a domestic one-day match the week before, though he hadn’t realised it when it happened.
Legacy
Rubel’s retirement marks the end of an era for Bangladesh cricket. He will be remembered for his contributions to the team and his passion for the game. As he continues to play domestic cricket, fans will be eager to see what the future holds for this talented fast bowler.
