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On Friday, Imad Wasim, an all-rounder for Pakistan,
declared his retirement from international cricket. He participated in 55 ODIs
and 66 T20Is during his international career. He last played for Pakistan
against New Zealand in a T20I in April 2023.
Reacting to the 34-year-old’s decision,
wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan revealed that he was ‘surprised’ as Wasim
‘still had many years left’ to participate in international cricket. Taking to
X, formerly known as Twitter, Rizwan wrote, “Surprised to hear about your
retirement, @simadwasim, my brother. I firmly believe you still have many years
left to excel in international cricket for Pakistan. Keep shining bright.”
Former Pakistan captain Rashid Latif asked him to
‘reconsider’ his decision, calling him ‘Pakistan’s best spinner’. Latif wrote
on X, “Imad Wasim should reconsider his retirement decision. He is
Pakistan’s best spinner and can be very helpful in batting as well. If the
team’s most effective player isn’t in the World Cup, it’s not just Imad’s loss,
it’s Pakistan’s loss.”
Wasim, one of the finest performers in PSL 8, amassed
404 runs in 10 innings at an average of 134.66 and a strike rate of 170.46,
shocking even Pakistani cricket fans. He also claimed nine wickets in the
interim. Imad was a member of the Pakistani team that won the 2017 Champions
Trophy final against India. He struck an unbeaten twenty-one runs off of
twenty-one balls in the final. He also took part in the 2021 T20 World Cup and
the 2019 World Up. He lost this position in ODIs in 2020, but in T20Is he established
himself as a consistent staple and participated in eight internationals this
year.
In his retirement statement, he revealed he would now
focus on playing in cricket leagues. “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 said.