Asif Ali (left) announced his retirement.Image Credit Source: Instagram/Asif Ali
There are only a few days left to start the Asia Cup 2025, but just before that, an explosive batsman from Pakistan announced his retirement. Middle order batsman Asif Ali, who was part of the Pakistani team in the Asia Cup 2022, announced his retirement from international cricket. Asif Ali, who has been out of the Pakistani team for the last 2 years, took this decision due to the blurring hopes of return. The Pakistani batsman made his debut in 2018 and played a total of 79 matches in ODI and T20 formats for Pakistan.
Asif retired at the age of 33
33 -year -old batsman Asif Ali announced his retirement from international cricket on Monday 1 September through a post on his social media account. Asif wrote in his statement, “Today I announce retirement from international cricket. Wearing Pakistan’s jersey was the biggest honor of my life and serving my country on cricket field was the most proud of me for me.” Asif Ali also thanked his peers, coaching staff and fans of the Pakistani team.
Claimed to hit 150 sixes every day
Asif Ali made his debut in T20 cricket for Pakistan in 2018 and then in ODI cricket in the same year. Asif Ali was identified as an explosive batsman and in the Pakistani team, he got constant opportunities with this constant expectation. Especially in T20 cricket, he was given a chance in the role of middle order and finisher, but he could never play his role properly and he had disappointed the team on most occasions except for a few innings.
Asif Ali did not get a place in the Asia Cup this time. But earlier in 2022, he was part of the Pakistani team in the T20 Asia Cup played in UAE itself. Prior to that tournament, he claimed that he scored 150 sixes during practice every day. Since then, in the tournament, he was expected to do such innings, but he could not do anything special but to win a match against Afghanistan. In 2 matches against India, he scored 25 runs in 15 balls. Not only this, in the T20 World Cup 2022, he was dismissed for just 2 runs against Team India.
Asif Ali’s career was like this
Asif Ali, who made her debut for the Pakistani team in 2018, was running out of the team for the last 2 years. He played his previous T20 match in October 2023 and ODI in April 2022. Overall, Asif scored just 577 runs in 58 T20 matches for Pakistan at an average of 15 and a strike rate of 133. At the same time, in 21 ODIs, he could score only 382 runs at an average of 25.
(The news is updated)
