Pakistan’s batsman Asif Ali announces international retirement

Pakistan’s batsman Asif Ali announces international retirement

Staff Report

LAHORE: Pakistan batter Asif Ali has announced his retirement from international cricket. Asif, 33, played 21 ODIs and 58 T20Is, mainly as a finisher in the middle order. An aggressive batter, his most renowned knock is likely the seven-ball 25 he scored in a tense win over Afghanistan in the 2021 T20 World Cup. “Wearing the Pakistan jersey has been the greatest honour of my life and serving my country on the cricket field has been my proudest chapter,” he said in a social media post. Asif confirmed that he will continue to play domestic cricket and in franchise leagues around the world. Asif made his T20I debut against West Indies in April 2018 after helping Islamabad United win the PSL that year, hitting three successive sixes at a cruicial point in the chase in the final. Two months later, an ODI debut followed.

In his heyday, though, Asif was viewed as something of a revolutionary for Pakistan cricket. At a time when they were short of genuine power hitters, Asif was fast-tracked into both white-ball sides. However, his own game was at times misunderstood by Pakistan’s selection and management team. Primarily a finisher, he often came in at number six in ODI cricket, much earlier than was conducive to his talents. In T20Is, he batted an average of just over seven balls an innings across his 58-match career, and finished over a quarter of his innings unbeaten: an indication he had come in too late and generally been underused. However, it is those brief cameos that provided produced the most enthralling moments Asif delivered. Against Afghanistan at the T20 World Cup in 2021, with Pakistan needing 24 off the final two overs, he smashed four sixes off Karim Janat’s 19th over to secure Pakistan’s progression to the semifinals. The following year at the Asia Cup, his 8-ball 16 spree secured Pakistan a win over India that took them through to the tournament’s final.

But that was something of a last hurrah. A poor T20 World Cup followed, with Asif a peripheral figure even as Pakistan made their way to the final. Consistency was never a strength, but as his form deserted him, Pakistan began to produce a younger group of big hitters. His last appearance proper for the Pakistan side took place against India at the MCG that year, before making a smattering of appearances for a second-string Pakistan side in the 2023 Asian Games. “I retire with immense gratitude, and will continue to share my passion for the game by playing domestic and league cricket worldwide,” Asif said.