Veteran Pakistan batter announces retirement from Tests, Karachi game against England to be his last
Azhar Ali to retire from Tests after 3rd match against England in Karachi
Veteran Pakistan batter Azhar Ali has announced his retirement from Test cricket. The 3rd Test against England in the ongoing series, scheduled to start on Saturday, December 17th, will be his last, the 37-year-old announced. Azhar Ali is Pakistan's fifth-highest run-scorer in red-ball cricketwith 7097 runs in 96 games to his name at an average of 42.49.
Ahead of the start of the final Test of England's historic tour of Pakistan, the series that has already been won by England 2-0, Azhar said its been an honour and privilege to represent his country and that to take call on his career was always going to be tough.
"It has been a great honour and privilege for me to represent my country at the highest level. Deciding on when to call it a day is always tough, but, after contemplating deeply, I realised that this is the right time for me to retire from Test cricket," Azhar said.
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The right-hander, who made his Test debut way back in 2010 against Australia at Lord's adds he enjoyed sharing dressing room with some of the great players over the years, andhe feels great calling some of them as his close friends also.
"I have been blessed to share the dressing room with some of the most outstanding cricketers with whom I share a strong bond. I feel much richer by calling these people my friends. I am also blessed to have played under some wonderful coaches to whom I will always remain grateful," Azhar Aliadded.
Ali has had a few records to his name like being the first Pakistani batsman to score a triple hundred in a Day/Night Test match, a feat that he achieved against West Indies in 2016. In the same year, he even scored a double hundred against Australia at Adelaide. One year prior in 2015, he notched up his maiden double ton against Bangladesh in Dhaka, while in 2014 he smashed twin centuriesin a Test against Australiain Abu Dhabi and helped them win the game as well.
"I retire from international cricket as a fulfilled cricketer who ticked most of the goals he had set for himself. Not many cricketers go on to lead their countries, and that I was able to captain Pakistan is a matter of great pride for me. From being a kid who started as a leg-spinner to becoming a mainstay in the Test batting line-up, I had the loveliest moments of my life that I will cherish forever," Azhar said.
