Younis Khan announces ODI retirement

REUTERS – Pakistani batting stalwart Younis Khan has announced his retirement from one-day internationals, saying Wednesday’s match against England in Abu Dhabi would be his last.

The 37-year-old remains a batting mainstay in test cricket but has not been in great form in one-dayers with the last of his seven centuries in the shorter form of the game coming in late 2008.

“I feel satisfied and grateful to almighty for showering numerous blessings on me,” the former captain said ahead of his 265th and final limited overs international.

“It is one of His great blessings that I, by my own will, have taken this decision to retire from ODI cricket after having retired from T20 cricket already,” Younus added.

The right-hander quit the 20-over format immediately after leading Pakistan to their maiden World Twenty20 triumph in 2009.

Younus goes into his final match having scored 7,240 runs, putting him sixth on the list of Pakistan’s highest ODI scorers.

He was omitted from the one-day team for a home series against Australia last year but earned selection to the World Cup squad before being dropped again after managing just 43 runs in three matches.

“During my 15-year long association with ODI cricket, I always tried my best to play positive cricket for my team both as captain and as a player. But now I feel that the time has come when I should call it a day from one-day cricket,” he said.

Earlier this month, he overtook Javed Miandad to become Pakistan’s most prolific test batsman, scoring 9,116 runs in 104 tests.

(Reporting by Amlan Chakraborty in New Delhi; Editing by John O’Brien)