The experienced Pakistani cricketer Imad Wasim retired from international cricket on Friday, November 24. The spin all-rounder announced his decision to retire on his social media page and thanked Pakistan cricket for their support over the years.
The 34-year-old UK-born cricketer made his international debut in May 2015 and represented Pakistan in 121 international matches. He scored 1472 runs and took 109 wickets in international cricket and last played for Pakistan in a T20I match against New Zealand 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 cricket,” Imad said in his Twitter post. “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’s decision to retire came as a surprise for the fans as he represented Pakistan in the last T20I series in April and was in contention for the upcoming T20 World Cup 2024. Imad missed the Pakistani team for the recently concluded ICC ODI World Cup 2023 in India and last played competitive cricket from Jamaica Tallawahs in the Caribbean Premier League 2023 (CPL).
Meanwhile, the veteran all-rounder is seeking a No-Objection Certificate (NOC) from the PCB to feature in the upcoming Abu Dhabi T10 League. He is likely to get permission to play in overseas cricket and is expected to play franchise cricket for a few more years.
