New Delhi, February 26
Out-of-favour India all-rounder Yusuf Pathan on Friday announced retirement from all forms of cricket, saying time has come “to put a full stop to this innings of my life”.
The 38-year-old was part of the inaugural T20 World Cup-winning side in 2007 and also the one that triumphed in the 2011 ODI World Cup at home.
“The time has come today for me to put a full stop to this innings of my life. I officially announce retirement from all forms of the game,” he said in a statement posted on Twitter.
Pathan, elder brother of former India seamer Irfan, played 57 ODIs and scored 810 runs at a strike-rate of 113.60 with two hundreds and three fifties.
He also featured in 22 T20Is where he made 236 at a strike-rate of 146.58 and was also a part of Kolkata Knight Riders’ triumphs in the Indian Premier League. He last played for India in 2012.
He had been going unsold in the past two IPL players’ auctions.
“I thank my family, friends, fans, teams, coaches and the whole country wholeheartedly for all the support and love,” he announced on Twitter.
“I still remember the day when | wore the India jersey for the first time. I didn’t only wear the jersey that day, but I took upon my family’s, coach’s, friends’, the whole country’s and my own expectations on my shoulders as well. Since my childhood, my life has revolved only around Cricket. I played at international level, domestic level and in the IPL in my career.
But today is a bit different. There is no World Cup or IPL final today but it is equally important. The time has come today for me to put a full stop to this innings of my life.
“I officially announce retirement from all forms of the game. I thank my family, friends, fans, teams, coaches and the whole country wholeheartedly for all the support and love. | am sure you will continue to encourage me in future as well. Winning two World Cups for India and lifting Sachin Tendulkar on my shoulders were some of the best moments of my career. I made my international debut under MS Dhoni, IPL debut under Shane Warne, Ranji debut under Jacob Martin and would like to thank them for believing in me.
“I thank Gautam Gambhir with whom, at KKR, we won the IPL trophy twice. I would also like to thank my brother and backbone Irfan Pathan who was always there for me during the highs and lows of my career. Last but not the least, I would like to thank the BCCI & BCA for giving me the opportunity to play for my country and state.
“Nothing can keep me away from cricket and my passion for the sport will remain the same. I will continue to entertain everyone even in future,” he said in a statement on Twitter.
