Shoaib Malik announces retirement from Test cricket| Pakistan vs England 2015: Shoaib Malik, the former Pakistani captain and currently playing in the 3rd Test against England has shocked everyone by announcing his immediate retirement from Test cricket.
Malik had just returned from a 5-year exile from Test cricket as a late replacement for injured Azhar Ali. He made a fairy-tale return making a 245 runs, his highest score in Test cricket. He had last played a Test for Pakistan in 2010 at Edgbaston.
Malik who had made a successful return to Pakistani limited overs team, playing a crucial role in series against Zimbabwe and recently against England. He was the man for Pakistan against Zimbabwe and even against Sri Lanka was their man to go in crisis.
Malik had made his Test debut in 2001 against Bangladesh and ODI debut in 1999 against West Indies in Sharjah. Malik announced his retirement at the end of the 3rd day’s play, saying that,” time was right move on.”
“We have some good youngsters and now is the time to retire,” he said. “Family comes first. I want to focus on the 2019 World Cup.”
Malik has played 227 One Day internationals and has scored 5990 runs with 8 centuries and a best of 143. He has also played 34 Tests (not including the ongoing one) and scored 1860 runs with a best of 245. He has also played 65 T20Is and scored 1077 runs with a best of 57.
Malik also captained Pakistan after the retirement of Inzamam-ul-Haq in 2007 till 2009 when he was replaced with Shahid Afridi and Salman Butt. Shoaib Malik has also picked up 147 wickets in ODIs with a best of 4/19.
Malik started his career as a spinner and a no.9 batsman who gradually moved his way up the order and started opening for Pakistan in both Tests and ODIs. This led to a fall in his bowling prowess, but he still was considered as a genuine all-rounder in the world of cricket. He led Pakistan to the final of the very first World T20 in 2007, losing to India.
He will still play in the ODIs and T20Is for Pakistan and is considered one of the main links in the Pakistani batting lineup due to his cool and calm nature and with the ability to take singles and doubles and also hit the big shots when necessary.
Despite a big score in the first Test, his scores have begun falling away recently with scores of 0,2,7 and 0 in the next 4 innings. But he has done his due with the ball picking 4/33 in 9.5 overs as he contributed to England being dismissed for 306 in the first innings.
