Shahid Afridi: I will retire from ODIs post 2015 World Cup

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  • Calling it a day: Pakistan skipper Shahid Afridi will draw the curtains on a decorated career after next year's World Cup.

    Pakistan’s T20 skipper and star all-rounder Shahid Afridi has announced that he will retire from One-Day International (ODI) cricket after the 2015 World Cup in Australia and New Zealand while addressing media during the Shahid Afridi Foundation event in Lahore.

    The 34-year-old all-rounder had recently hit the purple patch both with the bat and ball as he scored 205 runs and took eight wickets in the five-match ODI series against New Zealand which Pakistan lost 3-2.

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    Afridi wanted to lead Pakistan into 2015 World Cup but Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) kept faith with Misbah-ul Haq going into the mega event as captain.

    PCB Chairman Shaharyar Khan even went on to say that results at next year’s World Cup will have no affect on captaincy and Misbah will lead Pakistan in Australia and New Zealand.

    “I want to leave cricket on a high and will retire from ODI cricket after the 2015 World Cup,” Afridi told reporters.

    “I’ve already told PCB and the team management about my decision. However, I’ll continue to play in the T20 format after the World Cup.  I’ve always maintained that I don’t want to be a burden on national team and will walk away myself whenever I felt that I should step aside.”

    Afridi hoped that he would be able to complete 8,000 runs and 400 wickets in one-dayers before the curtains came down on his stunning career.

    The 34-year-old all-rounder has been one of the most sought after players in world cricket due to his superstar status and fans have loved him all around the world.

    During his career, he has always been seen as more than a player – someone who is a crowd puller a show-stopper.

    So far, Afridi has played 389 ODIs scoring 7,870 runs with six centuries and 38 fifties while he has claimed 391 scalps. He held the record of fastest century off 37 deliveries against Sri Lanka in ODIs for more than 17 years before New Zealand’s Corey Anderson surpassed him earlier this year.

    “It was my wish that record of fastest century in ODIs would have remained with me but it wasn’t meant to be,” Afridi added.

    “I want come into politics but my elders have told me to refrain from it. So after retirement from cricket, I’ll remain away from politics.”

    He currently holds the record of most sixes in ODIs with 342 hits over the rope, followed by Sri Lankan Sanath Jayasuria (270) and West India Chris Gayle (209).

    The leg-spinner retired from Test cricket in 2010 and scored 1,716 runs in 27 Tests with five centuries to his name while he also picked up 48 wickets.

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