Pakistan’s Ali announces retirement

Pakistan middle-order batsman Asif Ali announced his retirement from international cricket on Sunday, ending a five-year international career.

The 33-year-old Asif revealed his decision on Instagram, where he expressed gratitude for the honour of representing Pakistan and thanked fans, teammates, and coaches for their support: “To my fans, teammates, and coaches, thank you for your love, belief, and support through every high and low.”

He also spoke about the personal challenges he faced, including the loss of his daughter during the 2019 World Cup, thanking his fans for the support they showed him during that period. While retiring from international cricket, Ali stated that he would continue playing franchise and domestic league cricket worldwide.

Ali’s international career included 58 T20 Internationals and 21 One-Day Internationals for Pakistan between 2018 and 2023. His last international match was against Bangladesh at the 2023 Asian Games in Hangzhou.

Ali’s batting was particularly noted for its power-hitting capabilities, often playing the role of a finisher in the middle order. The most memorable highlight of his career came during the 2021 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup against Afghanistan.

In a tense chase, Asif smashed four sixes off Karim Janat in the 19th over, helping Pakistan secure a crucial win. He also played a key role with a quick 27 off 12 balls in Pakistan’s victory over New Zealand in the same tournament.

Throughout his career, Asif Ali was valued for his ability to accelerate the scoring rate in limited-overs matches, often changing the pace of the game with his big-hitting in the latter stages of the innings.

Despite his relatively short stint at the international level, he left a lasting impression with several match-winning performances, especially in Pakistan’s T20 World Cup campaigns.

His retirement marks the conclusion of a chapter where he contributed greatly in very tense situations.

Ali made it clear that retiring from international cricket was a decision taken with immense gratitude. He acknowledged the honour of wearing the national colours and described it as the proudest chapter of his life.

Moving forward, Asif plans to focus on continuing his cricket career in franchise and domestic leagues, where he will share his passion and experience in the sport.