Rubel calls time on international career after prolonged absence

Pacer Rubel Hossain has announced his retirement from international cricket, bringing an end to a career that had effectively been inactive at the top level for last many years.

Rubel, 36, last played for Bangladesh on April 1, 2021, in a T20I against New Zealand in Auckland. Since then, he has remained out of the national setup.

In a Facebook post on Wednesday, the right-arm pacer confirmed his decision.

“Representing the national team has always been my passion. But there comes a time when one has to step away from international cricket. With that in mind, I have decided to say goodbye to international cricket,” Rubel wrote.

Across formats, Rubel featured in 27 Tests, 104 ODIs and 28 T20Is between 2009 and 2021, claiming a total of 193 wickets. He registered two five-wicket hauls --one each in Tests and ODIs.

Despite stepping away from the international arena, Rubel expressed his intention to continue playing domestic cricket.

His recent appearances, however, have been limited. He last played first-class cricket in 2020, featured in a List A match in 2024, and a T20 match in 2025. He has not taken part in any competitive cricket for nearly 16 months.

“I intend to continue playing domestic cricket. I would like to thank my family, friends, media personnel and fans. I believe you will continue to stand by me in the days ahead as well,” he added.

Rubel was involved in several notable moments for Bangladesh during his career. His most prominent contribution came in the 2015 ICC World Cup, where he took the final wicket against England in Adelaide, helping Bangladesh reach the quarterfinals for the first time.

He also claimed the final wicket in Bangladesh’s 4-0 ODI series win over New Zealand in 2010 and recorded an ODI hattrick against the same opponents in 2013. His best ODI bowling figures of 6-26 remain joint with Mashrafe bin Mortaza as the best for Bangladesh in the format.

While his contributions in white-ball cricket were significant, Rubel’s Test record was less notable, with 36 wickets in 44 innings at an average of 76.77.

His career also included off-field issues. In 2015, he was briefly jailed in a case filed under the Women and Children Repression Prevention Act before being granted bail, allowing him to participate in the World Cup.

He was also excluded from the BCB central contract list in 2016 for failing to follow rehabilitation guidelines and faced multiple sanctions from the International Cricket Council for breaches of the Code of Conduct.