Pakistan Test batsman Asad Shafiq has officially retired from all formats of cricket, citing a decline in his passion for the game as the primary reason. The cricketer announced his retirement on Sunday.
While talking in a press conference, he said, “I am not feeling the same excitement and passion playing cricket and neither do I have the same fitness levels required for international cricket. Which is why I have decided to say goodbye to all cricket.”
Asad also confirmed that he was on the verge of signing a contract with the Pakistan Cricket Board to take on the role of a paid national selector.
“I have got the contract from the board and I am looking at it. Hopefully it will be processed soon.”
He expressed that working as a national selector will be an exciting challenge for him and he intends to stay actively involved in the game.
From 2010 to 2020, Asad served as a pillar of the Pakistan Test batting lineup where he scored 4660 runs in 77 matches at an impressive average of 38.19. This included 12 centuries and 27 half-centuries.
Asad also mentioned that he had never faced any pressure to make decisions in his international cricket career.
“After being dropped in 2020 I kept on playing domestic cricket for three years yes in the hope of getting another crack at the Pakistan team. But before the start of this season, I had decided this would be my last season because I felt that closing in on 38 years of age this was time to retire instead of people telling me to step down.”
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“After the spot-fixing scandal in 2010, it was a very difficult time for Pakistan cricket and I am happy I was part of that process where we won back the confidence of the people in our team.”
