Daily Times

LAHORE: Pakistan veteran all-rounder Mohammad Hafeez on Tuesday announced his retirement from Test cricket. The ongoing third and final Test against New Zealand in Abu Dhabi will be his last. The 38 years old Hafeez said in a statement that he had hanged up his Test boots in a bid to focus on his limited-overs career. “I feel the time is up. I am announcing my retirement and feel happy that I worked hard in my career,” he said. Prior to the third and final Test against New Zealand, Hafeez had played 54 Tests, scoring 3644 runs at 38.35. He has hit 10 hundreds and 12 half-centuries apart from picking 53 wickets with his off-spin. Hafeez made a four-ball duck in the current game. Hafeez made his Test debut in 2003 against Bangladesh in Karachi, and has since been in and out of the side. He has often run into problems with his bowling action, which has been reported illegal four times by the International Cricket Council (ICC). His highest score in the longest format is 224, which he scored in Khulna against Bangladesh in 2015.

“I am eyeing to represent Pakistan in the ICC World Cup next year. I feel honoured that I represented the country in 55 Test matches including the opportunity of captaining the team, I feel satisfied that I performed to the best of my abilities in my 15 year-long Test career. I wish the Test team the very best for their upcoming assignments starting with the tour to South Africa. The team management especially the coach and captain have worked very hard in forming an exciting core of players that can serve for long,” he added in his statement.

PCB Chairman Ehsan Mani paid tribute to Hafeez on his Test career. “Hafeez gave some memorable and matching winning performances for Pakistan in the Test match format; he lent great balance to the eleven with his bowling abilities. His contribution in Test cricket would be remembered for long time. I wish him the very best for the remainder of his international career,” Mani said in a statement.

A few months back Hafeez had decided to announce his retirement from cricket but wife Nazia and former Pakistan fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar stepped in to persuade him he still had a role to play. Hafeez was dropped from the Test side after faring poorly in the first three matches of Pakistan’s series in England two years ago, before being recalled for series against Australia in October. He celebrated his recall with a century in the first Test against Australia in October but has struggled since then. He has scored only 66 runs from seven innings since that ton, and has picked up only one wicket since his comeback.

Published in Daily Times, December 5^th 2018.