“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,” Imad wrote on X. “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 with new coaches and leadership incoming. I wish all involved every success and I look forward to watching the team excel.
“Thank you to the Pakistan fans for always supporting me with such passion. A final thank you to my family and friends who have been so important in helping me achieve at the highest level. I now look forward to focussing on the next stage of my playing career away from the international stage.”
Imad started his career by winning the Youth World Cup in 2006 and captaining Pakistan in the same event in 2008. He had to wait till 2015 for a Pakistan debut, and filled in for the recently suspended Saeed Ajmal in the team. Imad made his T20I debut when cricket returned to Pakistan six years after the Lahore attack in 2009, and represented his country in the World T20 that followed in 2016.
more to follow…