Daily Times

LAHORE: Pakistan top order batsman Azhar Ali announced his retirement from one-day international cricket on Thursday, saying he wanted to focus on his Test career. Azhar had mostly been out of Pakistan’s ODI plans in recent months, having last played the format in January 2018 against New Zealand. Azhar never played T20 internationals. The 33-year-old averaged 36.90 with the bat in his 53 one-day appearances for Pakistan, the last of which was against New Zealand in Dunedin. He became captain of Pakistan’s ODI side after the 2015 World Cup but was replaced by Sarfraz Ahmed at the start of 2017 after a string of poor results. “I haven’t taken this decision suddenly. I have been thinking about it,” Azhar told reporters at Gaddafi Stadium here. “It’s the right time to focus on Tests. There have been terrific players in one-dayers in the Pakistan set-up. I want to concentrate on Tests with the same fitness and energy that I have been. I didn’t decide to retire after any hard feelings. It’s my personal decision.”

He said he made this decision for the betterment of his career. “I never played T20 cricket, so it makes sense to hang my boots in the shorter formats of the game. I feel honoured that I represented the country in 53 ODIs -31 as captain- and I have some fond memories of leading some incredibly talented players. I am fully committed to Test cricket and would want to serve the country for as long as I can maintain my form and fitness. I would continue to play domestic one-day and T20 matches.” Under Azhar’s leadership — he last captained in ODIs in January 2017 — Pakistan slipped to a record-low ninth in the ODI rankings. Pakistan won only four out of ten bilateral series under him (against Sri Lanka, West Indies, Zimbabwe and Ireland), tying one and losing five.

Azhar wished Sarfraz – the man who succeeded him as the national team’s skipper in the 50-over format – his best wishes. “All of us should support Sarfraz,” he said. “He is doing a brilliant job. He is handling everything very well. The team has gelled very well under him.” Azhar’s last major contribution came in the ICC Champions Trophy last year when he scored 59 in the final against India after a 50 against the same opponents in the league stage and 76 against England in the semi-final. He was dropped after the New Zealand tour earlier this year to be replaced by Imam-ul-Haq, who has scored three centuries and as many half-centuries in 10 innings since the Zimbabwe tour in July.

Azhar also said that Pakistan had some great young talent in the side and was confident that the team were in good shape ahead of the 2019 World Cup. “As a former ODI captain I wish the team the very best for what is an incredibly important season ahead of the World Cup next June. There are some talented young batsmen who are part of the set-up now and I am supremely confident that they will serve Pakistan cricket with distinction,” he maintained. Azhar also said his only regret remained the way he could not continue as ODI captain for a long period. “I just felt at that time they were some people, who didn’t support me as ODI captain. Who thought I was not good for this format. It is never easy to captain the Pakistan side but they are also some good memories for me as captain.”

Azhar ends his ODI career with 53 matches to his name. He scored 1845 runs at an average of 36.90, with three centuries and 12 half-centuries. While congratulating Azhar on his ODI career, PCB chairman Ehsan Mani said: “He captained in a time of transition for the national team and did well both as a leader and batsman. Azhar remains an integral part of Pakistan’s Test team. I am confident that he will continue to serve the team with distinction.” Azhar has been one of Pakistan’s most prolific run-scorers in Test cricket as he scored a triple century and a double hundred in Tests in the UAE and Australia in 2016 and 2017 respectively.

Published in Daily Times, November 2^nd 2018.