Ichha Sharma, Pune
Wahab Riaz, the left-arm seamer from Pakistan, has called time on his international cricket career at the age of 38. Over his impressive career, he managed to bag a total of 237 wickets in 154 international matches. Even though he’s stepping away from the international scene, Riaz isn’t hanging up his cricket boots just yet. He has plans to continue his involvement in franchise cricket.
One of Riaz’s standout moments is etched in the memories of cricket fans worldwide: his fiery performance during the 2015 World Cup against Australian batsman Shane Watson. Despite his figures in that match reading 2/54 from 9 overs, it’s how he applied pressure on Watson that truly left its mark. The way Watson struggled against Riaz’s pace and intensity, and even the dropped catch off Riaz’s bowling, formed an iconic passage of that World Cup.
Riaz mentioned, “I have been speaking about my retirement plans for the past two years; 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. It has been an honor and a privilege to represent Pakistan on the international stage. As I bid farewell to this chapter,” (Quote)
Across his international career, Riaz displayed his prowess in various formats. In one-day internationals (ODIs), he scalped an impressive 120 wickets in 91 matches. His talents also shone in the shortest format, where he represented Pakistan in 36 T20Is and claimed 34 wickets.
However, Riaz’s journey had its ups and downs. While he proved to be a force in white-ball cricket, his performance in Test matches was a bit of a mixed bag. Despite having pace on his side, his issues with maintaining consistent lines and lengths made his Test career less reliable, with 83 wickets in 27 matches.
Remarkably, even in the face of his retirement from international cricket, Riaz isn’t bidding farewell to the cricket world entirely. He expressed his eagerness to dive into a fresh chapter of his career in franchise cricket, aiming to entertain and inspire audiences while pitting his skills against some of the finest talents across the globe.
Riaz’s impact extends beyond the international arena. He’s notably the highest wicket-taker in the Pakistan Super League (PSL), boasting an impressive record of 113 wickets from 88 matches, all while maintaining an economy rate of 7.79 and an average of 22.68.
In an unexpected twist, Riaz ventured into the world of politics earlier this year. He assumed the role of caretaker Sports Minister of Punjab Province, demonstrating his versatility by entering politics while still actively participating in the cricket circuit.