Bangladesh captain Mashrafe Mortaza to retire from T20Is after Sri Lanka series concludes

New Delhi: Bangladesh ODI and T20I team captain Mashrafe Mortaza announced his decision to quit the shortest format of the game after the current series against Sri Lanka gets concluded.

The Tigers are currently on tour to Sri Lanka, where they have already played two Tests ( series drawn 1-1), three ODIs ( series drawn 1-1) and play the first match of 2 T20Is today.

Mashrafe made his Twenty20 international debut against Zimbabwe in 2006, the first ever game played by the South Asian country in the shortest format, and has been an integral part of the side ever since.

So far, the 33-year old speedster has played 52 T20Is, picking 39 wickets at an average of 37.56, conceding 8.05 runs an over.

Mashrafe will still continue to be the ODI captain and will next lead the Tigers in a tri-series in Ireland, involving New Zealand as the third team. Subsequently, Bangladesh will head to England to play the Champions Trophy in June.

"It has been a great honour for me to represent Bangladesh in T20I for more than 10 years," Mashrafe said on his official Facebook page.

"I believe that this team is currently a balanced one and there are some promising young stars.

"This is high time for me to say good-bye to T20 format so that many youngsters can get the opportunity to showcase their talent", he said.

Bangladesh selectors welcomed his decision to retire from Twenty20 international cricket.

"Mashrafe is a true legend of our game and he has made the right decision," Bangladesh's chief selector Minhajul Abedin told AFP by phone.

He will now play his final Twenty20 international against Sri Lanka on April 6 in Colombo.

He is expected to continue to lead Bangladesh in one-day internationals.

Earlier, Mortaza was suspended for one match and fined 40 per cent of his match fee for maintaining slow over-rate during the third ODI against Sri Lanka in Colombo on Saturday.

The suspension means Mashrafe will miss his side's next ODI, which is currently scheduled to be in a three-nation tournament in Ireland in May and hence the suspension didn't impact the T20 currently being played in Colombo.

(With AFP inputs)