Pakistan middle-order batter Asif Ali has announced his retirement from international cricket, bringing an end to his career with the national team.
The 33-year-old shared the news on his Instagram account, describing the opportunity to represent Pakistan as the “greatest honour” of his life.
“Wearing the Pakistan jersey has been the greatest honour of my life and serving my country on the cricket field has been my proudest chapter,” Asif wrote in his farewell note.
He also expressed gratitude to his teammates, coaches, fans, and family for their constant support during his career.
He made special mention of the 2019 World Cup, when his daughter tragically passed away just before the tournament.
“To my fans, teammates, and coaches, thank you for your love, belief, and support through every high and low. To my family and friends, who stood with me in moments of joy and in the deepest of trials, including the loss of my beloved daughter during the World Cup, your strength carried me forward,” he added.
Asif Ali represented Pakistan in 58 T20 internationals and 21 one-day internationals, scoring 959 runs across the two formats with three half-centuries. Known for his power-hitting, he played vital innings in Pakistan’s 2021 T20 World Cup campaign, including match-winning knocks against New Zealand and Afghanistan that helped the team reach the semi-final.
He was also part of the squad that finished as runners-up in the 2022 T20 World Cup.
Asif’s last international appearance came in 2023 against Bangladesh during the Asian Games.
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