"Stepping off the international pitch" - Pakistan pacer Wahab Riaz announces retirement from International cricket

Veteran Pakistan speedster Wahab Riaz announced his retirement from international cricket on Wednesday, August 16. The 38-year-old last played for Pakistan in a T20 against New Zealand in December 2020.

Despite his absence from international cricket, Riaz continued playing in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) for the Peshawar Zalmi as recently as March.

He also played for the Khulna Tigers in the 2022-23 Bangladesh Premier League (BPL), during which he became the first Pakistan bowler to grab 400 T20 wickets.

Wahab Riaz took to Twitter to make his announcement:

While an official confirmation from the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is awaited, the express pacer from Lahore shared the below statement on his retirement.

"I have been speaking about my retirement plans past two years, that 2023 is my target to retire from International cricket, and I feel comfortable now more than ever that I have served my country and National team to the best I could have," Riaz said.

"It has been an honor and a privilege to represent Pakistan on the international stage. As I bid farewell to this chapter, I am thrilled to embark on a new adventure in franchise cricket, where I hope to entertain and inspire audiences while competing against some of the best talents in the world," he concluded.

During his 13-year international career, Wahab Riaz played 154 matches for Pakistan ( 27 Tests, 91 ODIs, and 36 T20Is) and picked up 237 wickets.

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Wahab Riaz's International career at a glance

Riaz's spell to Shane Watson in the 2015 World Cup ranks amongst the most fearsome bit of fast bowling.

Renowned for his ability to consistently bowl at speeds above 90 mph, Wahab Riaz was among the most intimating bowlers to face for even the best batters.

Although inconsistencies and injuries kept the pacer from achieving even greater heights, Riaz is widely remembered for his performances in the 2011 and 2015 ODI World Cups.

Despite being a non-factor through the 2011 tournament, the 38-year-old sprung to life with a devastating spell against India in the semifinal at Mohali. Riaz ripped through the Indian top order, picking up the crucial wickets of Virender Sehwag, Virat Kohli, Yuvraj Singh, and MS Dhoni to finish 5/46 in his 10 overs.

However, Riaz's best moment for Pakistan came during the 2015 ODI World Cup, picking up 16 wickets in seven games at an average of 23. His brutal spell to Shane Watson in the quarterfinal against Australia is talked about to date as among the best piece of express pace bowling in World Cup history.

The left-arm pacer also played in the 2019 World Cup, grabbing 11 wickets in eight games, during which he became Pakistan's second-leading wicket-taker in tournament history behind Wasim Akram.