Last year only I had thought 2019 IPL would be my last, reveals Yuvraj

Yuvraj Singh on Monday announced his retirement from not just his international but IPL career as well, revealing that his decision to retire from IPL was something he has been contemplating since last year

After 25 years in and around the 22 yards and almost 17 years of international cricket, swashbuckling batsman Yuvraj Singh on Monday announced his retirement from not just his international but IPL career as well. The 37-year-old revealed that his decision to retire from the cash-rich tournament was something he has been contemplating since last year. Yuvraj, who played for the franchise Mumbai Indians this year, said he always knew this would be his last hurrah. "Last year only I had thought that this year's IPL will be my last," Yuvraj said addressing the media here. "I am not available for IPL. I have retired from BCCI, international cricket. I am looking forward to play outside India (in T20 leagues)." Had not Yuvraj Singh those famous six sixes to Stuart Broad, God knows what exactly would have Lalit Modi marketed and how big a tournament Indian Premier League would have been. Yet it will remain a mystery as to why he couldn't deliver in IPL. Teams would empty their coffers to buy him only to be left high and dry. Yuvraj scored 98 runs at an average of 24.50 for MI this year, including a half-century this year and felt it would have been better had he got more opportunities to play and bow out on a high. "I was confused with my career and how I would end it. I would have been satisfied if I could have played more games in IPL 2019, would have been happy to leave the sport with that. But you don't get everything in life. I had decided last year that this IPL would be my last and I'll give it my best shot," Yuvraj confessed now he wants to continue playing in other domestic T20 cricket leagues around the world if he gets the approval from the BCCI. "I want to play T20 cricket. At this age I can manage to play some kind of fun cricket. I want to go and enjoy my life. It's been too stressful just thinking about my international career, performing and big tournaments like the IPL," said Yuvraj. "Now I would like to enjoy myself. With BCCI's permission I would like to go and play. Just have fun for this year and maybe next year, whatever is left in me. It's been a very long and hard journey and I think I deserve that," he added.