Credit: X
Imad Wasim, the Pakistan all-rounder, has announced retirement from international cricket with immediate effect through an emotional post on his official X account. The 34-year-old, who made his international debut in 2015, played a total of 121 matches in limited-overs cricket, with his final appearance for Pakistan coming against New Zealand in a T20I earlier this year.
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In his 55 ODI appearances, Imad Wasim scored 986 runs at an average of 42.86 and a strike rate of 110.29 with five fifties, while in his 66 T20Is, he put together 486 runs at a strike rate of 131.70 with a single fifty. One of the greatest moments in his international career happened in 2017, when he was part of the Pakistan cricket team, beating India by 180 runs in the final of the Champions Trophy at The Oval in London.
The emotional post on X from Imad Wasim to retire from international cricket read, “In recent days I have been doing a lot of thinking about my international career and I have come to the conclusion that now is the right time for me to announce my retirement from international cricket. I would like to thank the PCB for all their support over the years - it has truly been an honour to represent Pakistan.”
After thanking the PCB for their support during his career for Pakistan, he wished the national team success in everything they do, while looking forward to watching them from the sidelines. He said, “Each of my 121 appearances across the ODI and T20I formats was a dream come true. It's an exciting time for Pakistan cricket going forwards with new coaches and leadership incoming. I wish all involved every success and I look forward to watching the team excel.”
Imad Wasim concluded his statement by thanking the Pakistani fans for their support before talking about focusing on the next stage of his cricketing journey. “Thank you to the Pakistan fans for always supporting me with such passion. A final thank you to my family and friends who have been so important in helping me achieve at the highest level. I now look forward to focussing on the next stage of my playing career away from the international stage,” he added.