Pakistan all rounder Mohammad Hafeez has announced his retirement from international cricket, bringing down curtains on a career of almost two decades.
His international debut came in an ODI against Zimbabwe in 2003, with his last match turning out to be Pakistan’s defeat against Australia in the T20 World Cup semi-final last November.
The 41-year-old top-order batter and offspinner, has signed up with Lahore Qalandars for the upcoming edition of the PSL and will continue to be available for franchise cricket around the world.
“Today I want to officially retire from my beautiful journey I started 18 years ago with Pakistan Cricket,” Hafeez said. “I represented Pakistan with great pride and whatever I have played throughout my 18 years I played with dignity and whether it’s on the field or off the activities, I tried to raise Pakistan’s flag high.
“I am very much happy and satisfied with my career and achievements which were actually for Pakistan so this is it for me. I represented Pakistan with absolute pride but I will continue to play international leagues until I am fit and can contribute with performances.”
Hafeez in Numbers
Hafeez played 55 Tests, 218 ODIs and 119 T20Is while amassing 12,780 runs across formats, and finished with 32 Player-of-the-Match awards, the fourth-highest among Pakistan players in all international cricket.
Hafeez also earned nine Player-of-the-Series awards, joint-second with Imran Khan, Inzamam and Waqar Younis.
Hafeez had retired from Test cricket in December 2018, with the selectors later deciding to move on from him in ODIs after the 2019 World Cup, where he played his last match of the format – against Bangladesh at Lord’s.
He is the only Pakistan player to have played in all but one T20 World Cup – incidentally, the one they ended up winning in 2009 – and holds the Pakistan record for most T20 World Cup appearances.