37-year-old Pakistani batter Asad Shafiq concluded his cricket career on December 11 as he announced his retirement from all formats. The Test batter ended on a high note by leading Karachi Whites to victory in the National T20 Championship title on December 10. Shafiq received a guard of honour from his teammates in his final professional cricket career.
Despite not playing for Pakistan since 2020, he continued in domestic cricket for the last three years. The Karachi cricketer decided it was the right time to step away from professional cricket. As he looks forward to his second innings, a major opportunity has arisen outside the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), which has restructured its focus after the disappointing World Cup 2023 campaign in India.
“I am not feeling the same excitement and passion playing cricket and neither do I have the same fitness levels required for international cricket. Which is why I have decided to say goodbye to all cricket,” he told a press conference after leading Karachi Whites to the National T20 Championship title.
Shafiq confirmed on December 10 that he is ready to join the senior selection committee of the Pakistan cricket team, led by Wahab Riaz.
"I have got the contract from the board and I am looking at it and hopefully it will be processed soon," Asad said, as quoted by news agency PTI.
Shafiq's career spanned from 2010 to 2020, where he played a crucial role in Pakistan's Test team. He accumulated 4,660 runs in 77 matches with an average of 38.19, featuring 12 centuries and 27 half-centuries.
Alongside cricket stalwarts like Azhar Ali, Younis Khan, and Misbah ul Haq, Shafiq formed a formidable middle order that navigated Pakistan through numerous challenges, including the turbulent times following the 2010 spot-fixing scandal.
It was no surprise that Ali penned a heartwarming note for his former teammate after the conclusion of the National T20 Championship final.
"After being dropped in 2020 I kept on playing domestic cricket for three years yes in the hope of getting another crack at the Pakistan team. But before the start of this season I had decided this would be my last season because I felt that closing in on 38 years of age this was time to retire instead of people telling me to step down," Shafiq said.
"After the spot-fixing scandal in 2010 it was a very difficult time for Pakistan cricket and I am happy I was part of that process where we won back the confidence of the people in our team," he added.
(Powered by AI, Inputs by India Today)
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