In a bizarre turn of events, Pakistani spin-bowling all-rounder Imad Wasim announces his retirement from international for the second time in his career. However, the all-rounder will still be available to play franchise cricket. Imad last featured for Pakistan in a Group A fixture against Ireland in the 2024 T20 World Cup. 

He previously announced his retirement in November last year but on the back of a successful run in the Pakistan Super League (PSL), Imad made a re-entry again and featured in the 2024 T20 World Cup in the USA and the West Indies. In the T20 World Cup, Imad took part in three games and a paltry 19 runs with the bat at a strike rate of 65.51 and picked up three wickets at an economy of 4 RPO. 

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Imad announces his second retirement on Twitter 

While announcing his retirement for the second time, Imad took to his official Twitter account to express his thankfulness to the fans and his supporters who supported him all the way through his journey. He further adds that representing his country was the biggest honour of his life.

“To all fans and supporters: After much thought and reflection, I have decided to retire from international cricket. Representing Pakistan on the world stage has been the greatest honor of my life, and every moment wearing the green jersey has been unforgettable. Your unwavering support, love, and passion have always been my biggest strength. From the highs to the lows, your encouragement has pushed me to give my best for our beloved country."

Imad's association with cricket will not end here. As he calls time in his international career, Imad does confirm that he will still be available to participate in domestic and franchise cricket.  

“While this chapter comes to an end, I look forward to continuing my journey in cricket through domestic and franchise cricket, and I hope to keep entertaining you all in new ways. Thank you for everything. Pakistan.”

A brief look into Imad's overall international career

Imad was born in Swansea, Cardiff to a Pakistani family where he spent most of his formative years. The 35-year-old all-rounder has represented Pakistan in 130 international fixtures which comprises 75 T20Is and 55 ODIs. Imad never featured for his country in the longest format but has 77 FC matches under his belt averaging 40.68 with the bat and 31.14 with the ball. In addition, the spin-bowling all-rounder has taken part in a total of nine franchise cricket leagues which includes the likes of some highly reputed leagues like The Hundred and Major League Cricket (MLC).