Star Pakistan pacer retires from international cricket at age of just 31

The left-arm fast bowler of the Pakistan side, Usman Shinwari, has decided to make a shocking decision to announce his retirement from international cricket at the age of just 31. He represented the Green Brigade in just one Test, 17 one-day internationals, and 16 T20I games in his six-year career from 2013 to 2019.

Shinwari made his debut in international cricket during a T20I fixture against Sri Lanka at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium in December 2013, when he conceded just nine runs and picked up a wicket in what turned out to be his only over of the evening. He featured in four more 20-over clashes before making his debut in the 50-over format.

Shinwari’s ODI debut also came against Sri Lanka in Sharjah, four years later, in October 2017. The only appearance of the pacer in the longest format came in December six years ago against the same opponent in Rawalpindi. But that was his last red-ball encounter for Pakistan, as his cricket career was hampered in many ways due to consistent back injuries.

Pakistan’s Usman Shinwari announces international retirement at age of just 31

The 31-year-old featured in 58 List-A innings in his career to collect 92 wickets at an average of around 24 and a strike rate of 28.5 with an economy rate of just over five, thanks to the bowling figure of 5/14, with the help of six four-wicket and four five-wicket hauls. In 59 FC innings, the left-arm pacer has picked 96 wickets at an average of under 27.

It was in the 50-over games that Shinwari was at his best, bagging two five-wicket hauls- including in his second appearance against Sri Lanka in 2018 when he returned with figures of 5/34. The five wickets came in a space of just 21 deliveries, while the other one came in the penultimate game in Karachi in 2019.

The last action for Usman came in Pakistan’s T20 National Cup for the Quetta Region, but he failed to pick up a wicket in four encounters. He caught the attention for the first time when he was 19 in 2013, crushing with Misbah-ul-Haq’s Northern Gas Pipelines Limited in the departmental T20 Cup final.