One-man shows to key supporting roles - the best of Mushfiqur Rahim in ODIs

Mushfiqur Rahim called time on his ODI career on Wednesday, finishing as Bangladesh's second-highest run-getter in the format. He is one of Bangladesh's giants in the format, having played multiple match-winning knocks over the years. Here's a look at six of his best ODI innings.

Imagine the pressure. A 19-year-old Mushfiqur, with just 11 ODIs under his belt, replaces Khaled Mashud, Bangladesh's most experienced cricketer in the 2007 World Cup squad. It leaves cricket fans outraged, but the Bangladesh team management has a bigger surprise in store.

They send Mushfiqur to bat at No. 3 against India, where he plays the anchor role in the tricky 192-run chase, allowing Tamim Iqbal to go bonkers. He then adds 84 runs for the fourth wicket with Shakib Al Hasan. All three future Bangladesh stars make fifties, with Mushfiqur hitting the winning runs in a famous victory.

Bangladesh were chasing 290 runs against India in the Asia Cup in Dhaka, but the headlines were already written for posterity. Earlier in the afternoon, Sachin Tendulkar became the first cricketer to score 100 international hundreds. But Bangladesh were not deterred and worked on chasing down the steep total.

They needed 66 runs in the last eight overs when Mushfiqur, Bangladesh captain by now, stepped out at the bustling Shere Bangla National Stadium. He struck three sixes in his 25-ball unbeaten 46, taking Bangladesh home in the final over. The pop when Mahmudullah hit the winning runs was one of the greatest in the stadium's history.

Bangladesh had recovered from a poor start against England in their 2015 World Cup game in Adelaide when they again lost two quick wickets.

Mahmudullah was batting on 48 but he needed support from his brother-in-law Mushfiqur. The pair added 141 runs for the fifth wicket, with Mahmudullah reaching a memorable century. Mushfiqur's 89 off 77 balls, including eight fours and a six, was a masterclass of a support act. Later he went on to take four catches in Bangladesh's memorable 15-run win.

Bangladesh's first assignment after their quarter-final finish in the 2015 World Cup was an ODI series at home against Pakistan. In the first ODI, Tamim and Mushfiqur put on 178 runs for the third wicket, with both hitting centuries. Tamim top-scored with 132 but Mushfiqur was named the Player of the Match for his attacking 106. He struck 13 fours and two sixes in the 77-ball knock, an innings so dominant that Pakistan were struggling even when Mushfiqur got out in the 48th over. They ended up beating Pakistan in an ODI for the first time in 16 years. Mushfiqur hit 65 and an unbeaten 49 in the following matches to help Bangladesh seal the series 3-0.

In their first game of the 2018 Asia Cup, Bangladesh got off to one of the most chaotic starts. Litton Das and Shakib were gone in the first over and Tamim broke his hand soon after. Mushfiqur sees all of this unfold, but then adds 131 runs for the third wicket with Mohammad Mithun. Despite any significant support after that, Mushfiqur soldiered on, adding crucial runs with the tail. When the ninth wicket fell, Tamim walked out with bat in one hand, and a huge strapping on the broken wrist on the other. An inspired Mushfiqur slammed three sixes and as many fours in their 42-run stand to take Bangladesh to 261. Mushfiqur made 144 and Bangladesh went on to win by a whopping 137 runs.

Among the many feathers in his cap, a big one was his whirlwind century against Ireland in 2023. In a match that was eventually washed out, Mushfiqur crashed a ton off 60 balls, the fastest for Bangladesh, beating Shakib's 63-ball record.

He struck 14 fours and two sixes and took Bangladesh to 349 for 6, their highest total in ODIs. Mushfiqur started off with pull shots against spinners before hammering the seamers over mid-off, extra cover and wide of point. He reached his fifty off 33 balls before going even harder in the last seven overs. He also reached 7000 ODI runs during this knock, before completing his century off the last ball of the innings.