Pakistan’s lethal pacer Wahab Riaz announced his retirement from international cricket as he wants to focus on franchise-based tournaments. The 38-year-old pacer has played in 27 Test matches, 91 ODIs, and 36 T20Is for Pakistan, scalping a total of 237 wickets in international cricket. While talking about his decision, Riaz said that it was a privilege for him to play for Pakistan for such a long time.
"Stepping off the international pitch! After an incredible journey, I've decided to retire from international cricket. Big thank you to PCB, my family, coaches, mentors, teammates, fans, and everyone who supported me. Exciting times ahead in the world of franchise cricket," Wahab tweeted.
“I have been speaking about my retirement plans past two years, that 2023 is my target to retire from International cricket, and I feel comfortable now more than ever that I have served my country and National team to the best I could have,” Wahab Riaz said in a statement after his international retirement.
“It has been an honour and a privilege to represent Pakistan on the international stage. As I bid farewell to this chapter, I am thrilled to embark on a new adventure in franchise cricket, where I hope to entertain and inspire audiences while competing against some of the best talents in the world,” Riaz said in a press release.
It was back in the 2011 World Cup when Wahab gained worldwide popularity after his deadly spell against India in Mohali. The veteran pacer went on to dismiss five Indian batters including Virender Sehwag and Yuvraj Singh to dismantle the Indian batting order.
Again during 2015 World Cup, Wahab produced a scary spell against Australia in the quarterfinal at Adelaide. His spell against Shane Watson was one of the quickest ever witnessed in the history of cricket as he scared the Aussie batter consistently with his rapid pace.