Asad Shafiq retires from all forms of cricket

Pakistan's middle-order batter Asad Shafiq has announced his retirement from all forms of the game. The 37-year-old, who last played international cricket back in 2020, cited the lack of motivation as the major reason behind his decision. Fresh off leading Karachi Whites to the National T20 Cup title on Sunday (December 10), Shafiq revealed his retirement decision at the post-match press conference.

"I'm not feeling a similar energy and enthusiasm playing cricket and neither do I have a similar wellness levels expected for worldwide cricket. Which is the reason I have chosen to express farewell to all cricket," expressed Shafiq at the question and answer session.

Having made his global presentation in 2010 across every one of the three organizations, Shafiq proceeded to address Pakistan in 77 Tests, 60 ODIs and 10 T20Is. While his white-ball returns were tepid, best case scenario, Shafiq sparkled brilliantly in Test cricket where he was perhaps of Pakistan's most trustworthy player in all circumstances. The 2014-16 stage was Shafiq's top as a Test player, counting near 2000 stumbles into the three schedule years. Six of his twelve centuries in red-ball cricket came during this period. A dunk in structure from the 2018-19 season saw Shafiq in the long run confronting the hatchet in 2020, after which he was at no point ever picked in the future.

"Subsequent to being dropped in 2020 I continued to play homegrown cricket for quite some time in the expectation of getting one more break at the Pakistan group. Yet, before the beginning of this season, I had chosen this would be my last season since I felt that surrounding 38 years old, this was time to settle in rather than individuals advising me to step down," he said.

Given his clear picture off the field and genuine character, Shafiq was one of the significant supporters when it came to purifying Pakistan cricket's holiness after the damaging spot-fixing outrage that shook the country in 2010. With Misbah-ul-Haq in charge of the restoration, Shafiq was one of the vital associates in the mission close by Azhar Ali and Younis Khan.

"After the spot-fixing embarrassment in 2010 it was a truly challenging time for Pakistan cricket and I'm cheerful I was essential for that cycle where we won back the certainty of individuals in our group."

While one innings of Shafiq has finished in cricket, he's preparing for the second exposition that will see him in the job of a selector. "I have the agreement from the board and I'm taking a gander at it and ideally it will be handled soon."