Pakistan all-rounder Shahid Afridi has announced his retirement from international cricket, but said he wants to play in his country’s domestic league for two more years.
The flamboyant allrounder, who played the last of his 27 Tests in 2010 and retired from one-day internationals in 2015, quit as Pakistan’s 20-overs captain after the team’s poor World Twenty20 campaign in India last year.
“I have said goodbye to international cricket,” Afridi, who turns 37 next month, said in Sharjah after smashing a 28-ball 54 for Peshawar Zalmi against Karachi Kings in the ongoing Pakistan Super League.
“I am playing for my fans and will continue to play this league for another two years but it’s goodbye from international cricket. Now my foundation is important for me. I have played with seriousness and in a professional way for my country.”
But Afridi is no stranger to retirement announcements. Here’s how Twitter, not surprisingly, reacted to the news.
Shahid Afridi’s whatsapp status: “Retirement is temporary, comeback is permanent”. #IPLAuction #MondayMotivation
— Alia Bhatt (@Miss_AliaBhatt) February 20, 2017
Bye bye Afridi. You joined cricket when you were 18, played cricket for 21 years and now you are 23 yrs old. That is a brilliant inning.
— Rahul Raj (@bhak_sala) February 20, 2017
Isn’t 19 too early to retire from International cricket? Well played, Afridi. 😊👍 #ForeverYoung
— Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash) February 20, 2017
Afridi retire nahi hua hai, Afridi retire nahi hote. pic.twitter.com/9U1NK3GgVj
— Chhichhaledar (@chhichhaledar) February 20, 2017
“Shahid Afridi” announcing international retirement is same as “31 December k baad Set Top box lagana anivarya hai”.
— IMRAN KHAN (@imranmkkhan) February 20, 2017
Afridi is like Kejriwal.
Both are master of U-turns and both play for Pakistan.— चार लोग (@WoCharLog) February 20, 2017
You people can relax, this is the last time Afridi has announced retirement. If he comes back again, I will break his leg.
— God (@GyanOfGod) February 20, 2017
Finally Afridi retires from announcing retirements
— Pawan SinghA (@urbanpendu00) February 20, 2017
How Shahid Afridi decides his retirement-
*Takes rose*Plucks 1st petal: Fans love me.Plucks 2nd petal: Fans don’t love me.Retirement— Godman Chikna (@Madan_Chikna) February 20, 2017
Shahid Afridi is the only batsman who has retired from international cricket for more number of times than the number of runs he has made.
— Ojas. (@Ojasism) February 20, 2017
For the 4th time, Shahid Afridi has declared that he will not play international cricket anymore. He has announced his rerereretirement.
— Sagar (@sagarcasm) February 20, 2017
But the best one (even though it’s from April last year) has to be this:
Shahid Afridi playing 2051 World Cup for Pakistan.
. pic.twitter.com/Ozq4mja9FK— PhD in Bak*****!! (@Atheist_Krishna) April 3, 2016
Jokes apart, this does feel like a final announcement and all said and done, cricket will miss Afridi’s flamboyance.
A great player departs the pitch. #ThankYouAfridi pic.twitter.com/JcG8gxdCvU
— ScoopWhoop (@ScoopWhoop) February 20, 2017
With Reuters inputs