Fast bowler Wahab Riaz announces retirement from international cricket
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Pakistan’s pace sensation Wahab Riaz has announced retiring from international cricket, reported 24NewsHD TV channel on Wednesday.
The left-arm fast bowler announced his retirement from international cricket on his Twitter account.
In the tweet, he thanked the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), his coaches, family and fans for their support.
He, however, made it clear that he will continue playing franchise cricket after retiring from international cricket.
Wahab Riaz announced his retirement from international cricket on August 16, 2023, as he wants to focus on franchise-based tournaments. The 38-year-old pacer has played in 27 Test matches, 91 ODIs, and 36 T20Is for Pakistan, scalping a total of 237 wickets in international cricket. While talking about his decision, Riaz said that it was a privilege for him to play for Pakistan for such a long time.
Wahab Riaz was born on June 28, 1985, in Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan. He is a left-arm fast bowler best known for his sharp bowling speed. Riaz made his ODI and T20I debut in 2008, meanwhile, his first Test appearance came in 2010. The Lahore-born played 27 Tests, 91 ODIs, and 36 T20Is for Pakistan over the course of his career. He claimed more than 200 wickets in international cricket.
During his inaugural Test match against England at The Oval in 2010, Riaz’s exceptional performance saw him secure figures of 5 for 63. Riaz recently completed more than 400 T20 wickets while playing for Khulna Tigers in the ongoing Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) 2023. He became the second fastest bowler and overall sixth bowler to attain the remarkable feat.
Riaz has been involved in politics in recent times, having been named the caretaker sports minister of the Punjab province in January this year. After an incredible journey, he decided to retire from international cricket. He thanked PCB, his family, coaches, mentors, teammates, fans, and everyone who supported him. He is excited about the times ahead in the world of franchise cricket.
https://twitter.com/ESPNcricinfo/status/1691703376793469093
Riaz said that he had been speaking about his retirement plans for the past two years and that 2023 was his target to retire from International cricket. He feels comfortable now more than ever that he has served his country and National team to the best he could have. It has been an honour and a privilege to represent Pakistan on the international stage. As he bids farewell to this chapter, he is thrilled to embark on a new adventure in franchise cricket where he hopes to entertain and inspire audiences while competing against some of the best talents in the world.
Wahab's ODI career was marked by several memorable performances. It was back in the 2011 World Cup when Wahab gained worldwide popularity after his deadly spell against India in Mohali. The veteran pacer went on to dismiss five Indian batters including Virender Sehwag and Yuvraj Singh to dismantle the Indian batting order. Again, during the 2015 World Cup, Wahab produced a scary spell against Australia in the quarterfinal at Adelaide. His spell against Shane Watson was one of the quickest ever witnessed in the history of cricket as he scared the Aussie batter consistently with his rapid pace.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cw-d0HuJ2qM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dw2epS5x0aA
Wahab Riaz has spoken out against the Pakistan Cricket Board's (PCB) decision to exclude cricket icon Imran Khan from a video celebrating the country's historic cricketing moments since 1952. During a press conference announcing his retirement, Riaz expressed his reverence for Khan, recalling the latter's instrumental role in leading Pakistan to its first-ever World Cup victory in 1992.
Despite recent legal troubles, which saw Khan sentenced for corruption and disqualified from office, Riaz believes Khan's cricket legacy remains untouched. Khan's omission from the PCB video has drawn widespread criticism, with other cricketing legends like Wasim Akram also demanding an apology from the board. Khan's exceptional cricket career spanned 88 Tests and 175 ODIs, solidifying his place among the top all-rounders of his era.
Reporter: Hafiz Shehbaz