ISLAMABAD: Pakistani white-ball all-rounder Imad Wasim has officially announced his retirement from international cricket, citing recent exclusion from the squad for the 50-over World Cup as a main factor in his decision.
The 34-year-old found himself replaced by Mohammad Nawaz for the World Cup in India, where Pakistan faced an early exit in the first round. Expressing his reflections on his international career, Imad Wasim declared, “In recent days I have been doing a lot of thinking about my international career and I have come to the conclusion that now is the right time for me to announce my retirement from international cricket,” in a statement shared on social media.
Imad Wasim’s International Cricket Career
Known for his prowess as a left-handed middle-order batter and a skilled left-arm spinner, Imad represented Pakistan in 55 one-day internationals and 66 Twenty20 internationals. His contributions included 986 runs in ODIs and 486 in T20Is, with a tally of 44 wickets in ODIs and 65 in the shorter format.
Imad Wasim became memorable for his match-winning knock of 49 not out against Afghanistan during the 2019 World Cup in Leeds. However, his subsequent omission from the squad marked a downturn in his international career, with his last appearance in a T20I against New Zealand earlier this year, where reported disagreements with captain Babar Azam came to light.
Expressing gratitude to the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for their support, Imad stated, “I would like to thank the PCB for all their support over the years – it has truly been an honour to represent Pakistan. Each of my 121 appearances across the ODI and T20I formats was a dream come true. It’s an exciting time for Pakistan cricket going forwards.”
