Former Pakistan captain Shoaib Malik announced his retirement from the 50-over format shortly after his team bowed out of the Cricket World Cup, narrowly missing out on a semifinals spot.
All-rounder Malik, 37, played 287 one-day internationals for Pakistan and scored 7,534 runs including nine centuries. The off-spinner also picked up 158 wickets in the format.
“Today was our last game, and I’m retiring from ODI cricket,” Malik told reporters after Pakistan thrashed Bangladesh by 94 runs at Lord’s on Friday.
“I had planned this for a few years ago to retire on the last Pakistan World Cup match. I’m sad that I’ll be leaving a format of cricket that I loved but happy that I’ll have more time to spend with my family.
“This will also allow me to focus on Twenty20 cricket.”
Malik, who made his debut in 1999, was the most capped player in Pakistan’s current World Cup squad but was dropped after the team’s humiliating loss to arch-rivals India in Manchester last month.
He managed just eight runs in his three matches, including two ducks, and took one wicket.
Malik, who led Pakistan to the final of the inaugural World Twenty20 in 2007 where they lost to India, was a key member of the side’s triumph in the following edition in England in 2009.
Malik, who said his goal was to play the shortest format’s showpiece event in Australia next year, was congratulated by his wife Sania Mirza, the Indian tennis player.
“Every story has an end, but in life every ending is a new beginning’ @realshoaibmalik... u have proudly played for your country for 20 years and u continue to do so with so much honor and humility... Izhaan and I are so proud of everything you have achieved but also for who u r,” Mirza said on Twitter.
Former Pakistan captain Shoaib Malik retires from ODIs
Former Pakistan captain Shoaib Malik retires from ODIs
- All-rounder has played 287 one-day internationals and scored 7,534 runs
- “This will also allow me to focus on Twenty20 cricket”, off-spinner says
Pakistan, Indonesia sign MoUs to expand cooperation as Islamabad seeks to ease trade imbalance
- Pakistan offers to send doctors and medical experts to support Indonesia’s expanding health needs
- Indonesian president highlights close foreign policy coordination with Pakistan, including on Gaza
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Indonesia signed seven memoranda of understanding on Tuesday to deepen cooperation in trade, education and health, with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif saying Islamabad aimed to narrow a $4.5 billion bilateral trade imbalance heavily tilted in Jakarta’s favor.
The agreements were concluded during Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto’s two-day visit to Pakistan, his first trip to the country since taking office and the first by an Indonesian head of state in seven years.
Subianto, who arrived on Monday, held detailed talks with Sharif before the signing ceremony.
“Our discussion has been extremely productive,” Sharif said at a joint media appearance. “More than 90 percent of our current imports from Indonesia are palm oil. We have discussed how to take corrective measures to balance this through Pakistan’s agri-exports, IT-led initiatives and other areas.”
Sharif earlier noted Pakistan’s bilateral trade with Indonesia stood at around $4.5 billion, with the imbalance overwhelmingly in Jakarta’s favor.
Subianto thanked Pakistan for what he called an exceptionally warm welcome, noting his aircraft had been escorted by Pakistan Air Force JF-17 fighter jets.
He said the meeting had produced agreements across several fields, including trade, agriculture, education and science and technology.
The Indonesian president also welcomed Pakistan’s offer to help his country address critical shortages of medical professionals.
“Indonesia has vast needs for doctors, dentists and medical experts, and Pakistan’s support in this regard is strategic and critical,” he said.
Sharif noted Pakistan would be ready to send doctors, dentists and medical professors to assist Indonesia’s plans to expand its medical colleges and universities.
He added that Islamabad would “work closely and diligently” with Jakarta to achieve the targets set during the visit.
Subianto said both countries were also coordinating closely on foreign policy, particularly on developments in Gaza, and reaffirmed Indonesia’s support for a two-state solution.
He invited Sharif to visit Jakarta to deepen cooperation under the new agreements.
Pakistan and Indonesia marked the 75th anniversary of diplomatic ties this year, with both leaders saying the visit would help lift relations to what Sharif called “a much higher level” in trade, development and people-to-people links.
