Shahid Afridi to quit all forms of international cricket after 2016 World T20

Shahid Afridi

Pakistan all-rounder Shahid Afridi has announced that he will retire from international cricket altogether after the ICC World T20 in India next year, bringing an end to an almost two-decade long international career that has seen its share of ups and downs. The 35-year-old, who had retired from Tests in 2010, had already retired from ODI cricket after the recently concluded World Cup and will soon be hanging up his boots from the shortest version of the game too.

"I will retire from Twenty20 cricket after next year's World Twenty20," Afridi told reporters. "I will continue to play county in England and a few Twenty20 leagues but my international career will end next year."

Afridi, who will captain Pakistan during the 6th edition of the World T20 next year, added that he hopes to end his international career with a second World T20 title under his belt, having played a pivotal role in Pakistan’s triumph in 2009.

"I want to finish my career with pleasant memories and had never thought I will play for Pakistan for so long," Afridi added.

Afridi will end his international career with more than 15000 runs and 400 wickets to his name, illustrating the fact that he has been one of the game’s supreme all-rounders at least as far as the modern generation is concerned.

He burst onto the scene at the tender age of 16 with a 37-ball 100, the fastest in One-Day International (ODI) cricket at the time, in just his 2nd ODI against Sri Lanka. While his batting prowess has tapered off with time, his stature as a leg spin bowler has gradually grown, so much so that he has played the role of a frontline spinner for Pakistan in the latter part of his career.