Former Bangladesh pacer Rubel Hossain was given a formal farewell on Monday, receiving recognition from the cricket board and teammates before the second ODI against New Zealand at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium, reports Daily Sun.
Accompanied by his son, Rubel walked onto the pitch and touched the surface in an emotional moment after announcing his retirement from international cricket. He said he felt proud and grateful to be honoured in such a manner.
Rubel last played international cricket in 2021 and had been largely absent from domestic competitions in recent times. He had not officially announced his retirement until last week, when he posted a farewell message on social media.
The Bangladesh Cricket Board arranged the ceremony ahead of the match, with players and BCB ad-hoc committee chief Tamim Iqbal present as Rubel was presented with a framed jersey and a commemorative crest.
Rubel featured in 27 Tests, 104 ODIs and 28 T20Is for Bangladesh, taking a combined 193 wickets across formats.
His most memorable moment came during the 2015 World Cup, when his two wickets in two balls against England secured a famous win and helped Bangladesh qualify for the knockout stage. Teammate Taskin Ahmed recalled the moment, saying it remained one of the defining highlights of that campaign.
Rubel thanked the board for the gesture. “After I announced my retirement on social media, BCB president Tamim Iqbal called me and said they wanted to honour me. It was a matter of great pride for me. The way they arranged everything and honoured me—I sincerely thank the Bangladesh Cricket Board and its president,” he said.
He also paid tribute to his mentor Sarwar Imran, crediting him for shaping his career after being selected through the Paceman Hunt programme.
“There is one person I must mention. The man who played a special role in my journey—my respected coach Sarwar Imran. I will remain grateful to him all my life,” Rubel said.
Bd-Pratidin English/ AM
