He made the announcement on the eve of the Karachi Test, saying: “It has been a great honour and privilege for me to represent my country at the highest level. Deciding on when to call it a day is always tough, but, after contemplating deeply, I realised that this is the right time for me to retire from Test cricket.
“There are many people who I am grateful to in this strenuous, yet beautiful journey. I want to make a special mention of my family without whose sacrifices; I would not have been where I am today. My parents, wife, siblings, and children have been my strength throughout.
“I have been blessed to share dressing room with some of the most outstanding cricketers with whom I share a strong bond. I feel much richer by calling these people my friends. I am also blessed to have played under some wonderful coaches to whom I will always remain grateful.
“I retire from international cricket as a fulfilled cricketer who ticked most of the goals he had set for himself. Not many cricketers go on to lead their countries, and that I was able to captain Pakistan is a matter of great pride for me. From being a kid who started as a legspinner to becoming a mainstay in the Test batting line-up, I had the loveliest moments of my life that I will cherish forever.”
Azhar, 37, had sat out the previous Test against England, in Multan. He captained Pakistan in nine Tests overall, being appointed full-time captain after Sarfaraz Ahmed was sacked in 2019. Pakistan won two home series under him, against Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, but a slump in personal form and growing criticism of his methods meant Babar Azam took over less than a year later. He had also overseen Pakistan in ODIs from 2015 – taking over after the World Cup, from Misbah-ul-Haq – to 2017, a tumultuous period in the format for them, when they slipped to No. 9 in the ODI rankings.
He played his last ODI for Pakistan in January 2018, and has not played a T20I.
More to follow
Source: ESPN Crickinfo