Wahab Riaz, a Pakistani quick bowler, has proclaimed his retirement from international cricket. He will continue to play cricket for franchises around the world.
The 38-year-old left-armer played in three ODI World Cups (2011, 2015, and 2019) and concluded with 237 international wickets across 27 Tests, 91 ODIs, and 36 T20Is. He last represented Pakistan in December 2020.
“It has been an honor 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,” said Wahab in a media release.
Wahab debuted for Pakistan in a One-Day International match against Zimbabwe in February of 2008. His five-wicket haul in the 2011 World Cup semifinal against India in Mohali and his scorching burst of fast bowling against Shane Watson in the 2015 World Cup quarterfinal in Adelaide stand out as two of his most notable efforts.
Wahab has decided to retire from international competition after taking a hiatus from red-ball cricket in 2019 to focus on limited-overs cricket.
“I have been speaking about my retirement plans for the 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.”
