Fast bowler Mohammad Irfan also bids farewell to international cricket

After Mohammad Amir and Imad Wasim hanged their boots, lanky left-arm fast bowler Mohammad Irfan has also bid adieu to the international cricket, reported 24NewsHD TV channel on Sunday.

Irfan’s decision came shortly after all-rounder Imad Wasim and another left-hand pacer Mohammad Amir also bid goodbye to the game just a day earlier,

This decision made Irfan the third Pakistani cricketer to retire in the space of 36 hours.

Irfan made his announcement via a social media post, thanking his teammates, coaches, and fans for their support.

Irfan’s retirement isn’t expected to significantly impact Pakistan’s current squad, as he has not played an international match in over five years. Since then, the 42-year-old has remained active in domestic cricket, most recently representing Khan Research Laboratories in the President’s Cup, a Pakistani List A competition. 

Despite his absence from the international scene, Irfan's towering 7’1” frame and his left-arm pace made him a formidable figure during his prime, and he will always be remembered as the tallest player in the cricket history. 

The fast bowler enjoyed a productive career in white-ball teams during the early to mid-2010s. Irfan, at his peak, troubled some of the best batters in the world. One of his most memorable performances came in 2013 during an ODI against South Africa, where he dismissed key players such as AB de Villiers and Faf du Plessis in a fiery new-ball spell. He also made a strong impression on his T20I debut during Pakistan’s 2012-13 tour of India, delivering a miserly spell and dismissing Virat Kohli, which helped Pakistan secure an impressive victory.

However, Irfan’s career was not without challenges. His height, while an advantage in bowling, posed difficulties in terms of managing his body, leading to frequent injuries. A pelvis stress fracture cut short his 2015 World Cup campaign, and his overall fitness often came under scrutiny. His career also faced a setback in 2017 when he received a six-month ban for failing to report an approach from a bookmaker.

Over the course of his career, Irfan played 86 international matches, including 4 Tests, 60 ODIs, and 22 T20Is. While he did not feature much in red-ball cricket, he found his groove in ODIs, where he took 83 wickets at an average of 30.71 and an economy rate of 4.91. His ability to bowl high-speed deliveries, coupled with his unique height and angle, made him a difficult bowler to face during the peak of his career.