Time is running out for Mahmudullah as he fails to score in first two ODIs against Sri Lanka

He has been one of Bangladesh batting’s mainstays over the years. But 33-year-old Mahmudullah has hit a wall of late and it seems time is running out for the batsman to return among runs. After having an ordinary outing at the cricket World Cup in England recently where he scored just one fifty (against Australia), Mahmudullah managed just three and six in the first two ODIs against Sri Lanka.

The worse part is that the cricketer has also failed to impress with his fielding and neither is he bowling since hurting his shoulder during the eventful tour of New Zealand earlier this year. Mahmudullah’s innings of 28 off 41 balls against England in Cardiff in the World Cup started turning opinions against him.

Chasing a huge score set by the hosts, Bangladesh’s scoring rate was impeded by Mahmudullah’s slow batting and it is learnt that in-form Shakib Al Hasan was not happy with the team management continuing with the batsman after the 106-run defeat against England.

According to a report in Cricbuzz that cited a well-placed source, Shakib, who had a sensational form in this World Cup, stayed away from team planning for the most part of the tournament after captain Mashrafe Mortaza refused to drop Mahmudullah on his insistence after the England loss.

Shakib Al Hasan was not convinced with Mahmudullah’s approach in England game at World Cup

“According to Shakib, Mahmudullah never showed any intent during the third game in the World Cup against England where he scored 41-ball 28 when Bangladesh probably needed around 190 runs from 20 overs. During that time inside the dressing room, everyone believed that the chase is very much possible but Mahmudullah’s approach never seemed to be in pointing towards that direction and it was not taken very well by Shakib,” Cricbuzz quoted the source as saying.

It was learnt that Mahmudullah, who has played in 184 ODIs besides 45 Tests and 76 T20Is, is not too happy with the support he is getting in the dressing room either. He avoided media interaction deliberately after the tri-series in Ireland before the World Cup that Bangladesh won and was not happy after getting demoted in the batting order.

It is reported that the batsman created a scene in the dressing room after scoring the half-century against Australia accusing his teammates of not recognising his effort. He didn’t play in the crucial game against India. Mahmudullah was expected to be rested for the series against Sri Lanka but was picked after Shakib and Liton Das preferred to opt-out citing personal reasons. However, the batsman failed to capitalise on either of the two opportunities that he got.