Embittered Mahmud bows out

Khaled Mahmud has left the international cricket scene a bitter man after finding himself surplus to requirements in his very own team.

Mahmud led Bangladesh in three Test series, after being appointed as captain last April. But he realised that the door to Test cricket was shut forever after losing his job to Habibul Bashar, and his place in the 16-member tour party bound for Zimbabwe.

"I believe this is the right time to say goodbye to international cricket," said an emotional Mahmud. "It is not only because I've been dropped from the Test squad, but also to avoid further embarrassment. I love this game very much. But I have placed self-respect above everything throughout my career."

Mahmud announced his retirement as soon as the squad had been revealed, although his mind had been made up for some time, after sensing something was not quite right in the behaviour of his team-mates.

"I was not getting enough chances to bat in the nets and also I noticed that the bowlers were acting funny whenever it was my turn," said Mahmud. "This is not the way to behave with a captain who should always command the respect of his team-mates. And if this trend continues, Bangladesh will never get a good captain in the future."

"I admit that I have shortcomings. But tell me how many consistent performers are there in the team right now? I have failed in the home series against England but it is unfair to pass judgment on one player when everybody should be sharing the blame."

Mahmud made his one-day debut in 1998 but had to wait until November 2001 to play Test cricket. His finest hour came at Northampton in the 1999 World Cup, when he bowled Bangladesh to that famous victory over Pakistan.