NEW DELHI: Stylish left-handed batsman Yuvraj Singh on Monday announced his retirement from international cricket, bringing down the curtain on a glittering career.
Making the announcement in Mumbai, Yuvraj said, “After 25 years in and around the 22 yards and almost 17 years of international cricket on and off, I have decided to move on. This game taught me how to fight, how to fall, to dust off, to get up again and move forward.”
“I was extremely lucky to play 400 games for India. I could have never imagined it when I first started playing cricket,” Yuvraj added.
“It was a love-hate relationship with this game. I can’t explain what it really means to me. This game taught me to fight. I have failed more times than I succeeded and I will never give up,” Yuvraj said.
Yuvraj listed the 2011 World Cup triumph, getting six sixes in an over against England in the 2007 Twenty20 edition and his first Test hundred, against Pakistan in Lahore in 2004, as the three most special moments of his career.
He will always be remembered as one of the finest batsmen ever to have played limited overs cricket. A player who made batting at the highest level in international cricket look effortless on his day.
Bucking the international trend of continuing IPL stints after international retirements, Yuvraj said he was clear about ending his sojourn with glamorous event last year itself.
However, Yuvraj confirmed that he will be pursuing a freelance career in ICC approved foreign Twenty20 leagues.
Yuvraj burst onto the scene in the ICC Knockout Tournament in 2000 in Nairobi and helped India reach the final.
Regarded as one of India’s greatest limited overs cricketers, some of Yuvraj’s career highlights range from playing a brilliant 69 run knock in the 2002 Natwest final, in which India beat England by 2 wickets, to smashing England’s Stuart Broad for six consecutive sixes in one over in the inaugural World Twenty20 in South Africa (2007) – a tournament which India went on to win, to playing a big role in taking India to the 2011 World Cup title.
Yuvraj played a stellar role in India’s 2011 ODI World Cup campaign and was named the man of the tournament. His 2 wickets and 57 run knock vs Australia in the quarter-final of that tournament, followed by his ecstatic celebration after winning the match will never be forgotten.
Yuvraj, who is also a cancer survivor, last played a Test in 2012 and an ODI and T20 in 2017. Overall he has played 402 international matches and retires with over 11,000 international runs and 148 international wickets across all three formats of the sport.
Yuvraj’s former teammates took to Twitter to pay their tributes:
Congratulations on a wonderful career playing for the country paji. You gave us so many memories and victories and… https://t.co/bJSuMFtWx8— Virat Kohli (@imVkohli) 1560159943000
Players will come and go,but players like @YUVSTRONG12 are very rare to find. Gone through many difficult times but… https://t.co/es0IVWrJDc— Virender Sehwag (@virendersehwag) 1560157512000
One of the greatest match-winners in the history of the game,a fighter who built an extraordinary career through di… https://t.co/OaTcaQUVKb— Mohammad Kaif (@MohammadKaif) 1560156779000
One of India’s most admired cricketers, a 2-time World Cup winner and a true champion to have graced this beautiful… https://t.co/VSqz4hjCmZ— Delhi Capitals (@DelhiCapitals) 1560158462000
“This game taught me how to fight, how to fall, to dust off, to get up again and move forward. It has been a lovely… https://t.co/PrOT0ZNhB3— BCCI (@BCCI) 1560156646000
The man who starred in India’s 2007 World T20 and 2011 World Cup victories, @YUVSTRONG12 announces his retirement f… https://t.co/HIYXMWL5Q9— BCCI (@BCCI) 1560155878000
Congratulations Prince @YUVSTRONG12 on a wonderful career. You were the best ever white ball cricketer India had.… https://t.co/l9TsSX3xOs— Gautam Gambhir (@GautamGambhir) 1560158038000
It’s been an absolute pleasure playing with Yuvi. You will go down as one of the greatest players in the history of… https://t.co/gpc2qJBpAW— VVS Laxman (@VVSLaxman281) 1560158173000