KARACHI - Veteran Pakistan batsman and former captain Younus Khan announced on Saturday he will retire from international cricket after the upcoming Test series in the West Indies.

The 39 year-old has captained Pakistan in all three formats, and in 2009 led them to their only World Twenty20 title in England.

"People are calling me and asking me not to make any announcement to leave but now is the time," Younus said in Karachi. "A time comes in every player's life when he has to decide and I always tried my best to serve my county with my head high. No player always remains fit, the motivation never remains the same, so this is the time when Younus should leave the field after the upcoming series in West Indies."

"I will be retiring... with my head held high," he told a press conference in Karachi. "I think this is the right time as every sportsman has to take this decision in his career."

Younus hit a hundred in his first Test against Sri Lanka in Rawalpindi in 2000, which started a glorious career during which he also scored a double hundred in Pakistan's series-levelling win against India at Bangalore in 2005.  He needs only 23 runs to reach 10,000 Test runs, a milestone he missed out on after his team's disastrous tour of Australia in January this year, when Pakistan lost all three Tests. He has so far scored 34 Test centuries in 115 matches -- the most by any Pakistani batsman -- and is set to become the first Pakistani and 13th batsman in the world to score 10,000 or more. India's Sachin Tendulkar currently tops the charts with 15,921 runs in 200 matches.

"I was planning this for few months," he said of his decision to quit, but added that he "always tried to play for my team and for my country".

One of the worst moments of my career was when Pakistan lost their coach Bob Woolmer during the 2007 World Cup in West Indies, he said. Woolmer coached Pakistan from 2004 to 2007 but died in mysterious circumstances in Jamaica.

After lengthy investigations that even included the possibility of murder, Jamaican police on June 12 announced that Woolmer had died of natural causes. "Those were very sad days for me," Younus recalled.

Younus is the second high-profile player to retire this month after his team mate Misbah-ul-Haq also announced his decision to quit on Thursday following months of speculation. The pair have formed the nucleus of Pakistan's batting in the last seven years and helped their team square a crucial Test series 2-2 in England last year.  On Wednesday the two stalwarts were named in Wisden's best cricketers of the year 2017, following their performances on the England tour after which Pakistan briefly rose to number one in Test rankings for the first time.

Former Pakistan captain Wasim Akram paid rich tribute to Younus. "He is still fit but there is always a time when you have to decide about leaving," said Wasim. "He has set many records which prove his greatness. Whenever he played he played with his heart and commitment. It will be tough to replace players like Younus and Misbah, so Pakistan will have to work hard in Tests without them."

Younus said he will remain associated with cricket following his retirement. "Even though I will be retired from playing, my services will still be available for cricket," he said.

"I always tried to be a good ambassador and serve my country to take it one step forward," Younus said. "If I've ever made a mistake in my career, if I've forgotten something, or done something wrong, please think of me as one of your own and forgive me, ignore me and let's move on. This isn't something sudden, this was always building up and few of my close friends knew it. Although I had a plan to retire after surpassing Javed bhai's (Miandad) runs record, then I was motivated to complete 10,000 runs so I have decided to get them. The reason I announced it beforehand was people start asking me for more, they could then ask me to take 11,000 or 12,000 or I may start thinking about reaching Sachin's 15,000 runs. Humans can never be satisfied but I am not of an age to make it that far, so I want people to respect my decision and allow me to fulfil my future plans." When asked how Pakistan would cope with him and Misbah leaving at the same time, Younus expressed confidence that Pakistan would be able to move on.

"In the past these things were said, what Pakistan will do with big stars leaving, it will be difficult ahead … but life never stops for anyone, it needs to move on," he said. "When I came in I shared the dressing room with players like Rashid Latif, Moin Khan, Inzamam, Wasim, Saeed Anwar and I thought what will happen if they fade away. All pressure will come on us as junior players. But after two to three years Pakistan still did wonders, like in 2009 I won the World T20 with youngsters around me … I think Sarfraz (Ahmed) has a chance here to stand up and take the Pakistan team forward and we should think this way."

The West Indies series which starts in Jamaica from April 21 followed by Tests in Barbados and Dominica, ending on May 14.

 

 

Achievements

Younus Khan captained Pakistan to Twnety20 World Cup in 2009, the only other major world trophy for Pakistan after World Cup 1992.

Younus has played 115 Tests so far, having made his debut in 2000, and has 9977 runs at an average of 53.06 with 34 hundreds, the most for a Pakistan batsman.

Younus Khan Played 264 One Day matches scoring 7240 runs. Younus Khan is currently sixth on the list of highest run getters for Pakistan in ODI cricket.Younus scored seven hundreds and 48 fifties with an average of 31.34.

His best Test score - 313 against Sri Lanka in 2009 - is the third highest for Pakistan, after Hanif Mohammad's 337 and Inzamam-ul-Haq's 329. Azhar Ali is fourth after scoring 302 against West Indies in a day night test match.

He was recently named one of Wisden's Five Cricketers of the Year, following his contribution in Pakistan's 2-2 drawn series in England last summer.

Younus Khan's 34 centuries are the highest number of Test centuries by a Pakistani.

In the third Test against Sri Lanka on July 6, Younus Khan became the first Test batsman in history to score five centuries in the fourth innings.

Younus Khan and Misbah-ul-Haq hold the record for most runs as partners in Test cricket for Pakistan.

Younus Khan has 6 double centuries in Test matches.

Younus Khan is the only Pakistani to score a Test hundred against every other 9 Test playing nations and 12th International player to achieve this milestone.

Younus Khan was the 5th fastest batsman to reach 7500 runs, achieving the feat in just 90 matches.

Younus Khan holds the record of most away centuries for a Pakistani (23), this is the second highest overall.

Younus Khan is the first (and the only) Pakistani cricketer to take 100 catches in Test matches. He has caught 129 times in Test cricket so far.

Younus Khan has now scored 4000+ runs at number 3 in Test which is most by any Pakistan Cricketer with average in excess of 50's.

Younus Khan has most number of centuries (14) after the age of 35 among Pakistani cricketers.

Younus Khan has scored three consecutive Test hundreds against Australia, a feat only shared by Herbert Sutcliffe, back in 1924–25.

Younus Khan is the only batsman to have 50+ average in all the four innings of Tests.

Younus Khan is involved in 63 hundred run partnerships in Tests cricket, the same as Kumar Sangakkara and 1 more than Brian Lara.

Younus Khan named four times player of the series in Test matches. He also received 10 man of the match awards in Tests.

Yonus Khan was named man of the series in ODIs twice while also receiving man of the match awards for 15 times.