Pakistan all-rounder Imad Wasim retires from international cricket
Pakistan all-rounder Imad Wasim has announced his retirement from international cricket with immediate effect.
In a statement posted on X (formerly Twitter), the 34-year-old thanked Pakistan fans for their support and confirmed he will continue plying his trade in domestic cricket.
Wasim played the last of his 121 internationals in April 2023.
“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 career,” Wasim said. “I would like to thank the PCB for all their support over the years – it has truly been an honour to represent Pakistan. 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.
“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.”
— Imad Wasim (@simadwasim) November 24, 2023
The development is the latest in a tumultuous period for Pakistan cricket following their disappointing group-stage exit from the 2023 World Cup. Babar Azam has resigned from the captaincy in all three formats, with a coaching staff overhaul to boot. While Wasim was floated by some as a left-field shout for the T20I captaincy, Shaheen Shah Afridi has since been confirmed as skipper in the shortest formats, with Shan Masood taking over in Test cricket.
Wasim’s recent ODI non-selection has been a point of debate in Pakistani cricket circles, with the left-arm spinner expressing his frustration back in April.
“They [the selectors] never told the reason behind keeping me away from the national team for last one and a half year. I won’t let this happen again. My actions will be more important this time around,” he told Geo TV.
“I am at that stage of my career that I have to take a step if they drop me without any reason again.”
Wasim retires with an excellent record in ODI cricket in particular, averaging over 40 and scoring at a strike rate in excess of 110 with the bat and maintaining an economy rate of 4.88 with the ball. In T20I cricket, he struggled with the bat, averaging 15, but remained miserly with the ball, conceding 6.26 runs per over. He represented Pakistan at the 2016 and 2021 T20 World Cups, and played six games at the 2019 World Cup. Wasim was also ever-present in Pakistan’s 2017 Champions Trophy win.
