LONDON, May 18: One day cricket’s most successful bowler Wasim Akram announced his retirement from international cricket on Sunday after a 19-year career and five World Cups.

The 36-year-old all-rounder told the Sky Sports it was time for younger players to get their chance to play for the national side, with whom he won the 1992 World Cup and was named Man-of-the-Match after scoring 33 and taking three England wickets in the final.

“My future is somewhere else after September (when he finishes his contract with Hampshire),” said Wasim, who has taken 502 one-day wickets and claimed 414 Test victims making him the only bowler to have taken over 400 wickets in both forms of the game.

“Maybe I will be working in television or coaching.”

Wasim, regarded as one of the finest left-arm seamers of all-time, was a shadow of his former self when he played in this year’s World Cup as Pakistan won just two matches and failed to make the Super Six stage.

Like many of the other senior players, who underperformed in the World Cup, he was dropped for the Sharjah Cup in April and not selected for the current one-day triangular series against Sri Lanka and New Zealand.

“I have enjoyed every bit of it,” said the veteran of 104 Tests.

“There are no regrets. There have been ups and downs but I would not have changed it for anything else.”—AFP