ISLAMABAD: Veteran Pakistan all-rounder Shoaib Malik starred with a swashbuckling half-century, during his 350th Twenty20 match at the Sabina Park in Kingston, Jamaica.According to details, Malik became the first Pakistan cricketer to feature in 350 T20 matches and made this particular record-breaking game memorable by playing a match-wining innings for his side. The 37-year-old, who is leading Guyana Amazon Warriors during the ongoing Caribbean Premier League (CPL), scored 67 runs off 37 balls to lead his side to victory over Jamaica Tallawahs. His blistering unbeaten knock included six fours and three sixes.
When I first started playing cricket, I never thought I would play 350 games in total, never mind 350 in just one format,” Malik was quoted as saying by Flaminko.”I feel honoured to have been a part of this beautiful game of cricket. When I started my career, T20 cricket didn’t exist, and it makes me proud that I was able to keep my game relevant to the modern-day cricket,” he added.The Sialkot-born also stressed on the importance of fitness in order to keep up with the pressures of the game.T20 cricket is exciting, but it is also tough; you often play 2/3 games per week which can be tough on you mentally and physically, and it is important to stay fit so you can endure the pressures of the format,” he said.Malik retired from One-day International (ODI) cricket without making a farewell appearance, after the end of Pakistan’s campaign in the 2019 International Cricket Council (ICC) World Cup in England and Wales.The former Pakistan captain intends to continue playing the T20 format; however, he was not picked for the upcoming home T20I series against Sri Lanka. He was not named in the probables, for the three-match series, and has been granted No-objection Certificate (NOC) until October 12 to participate in the CPL.