Pakistan's veteran allrounder Shoaib Malik has announced his retirement from Test cricket citing 'family reasons'
The 33-year-old Malik, who returned to the Test side for the series against England after a gap of five years, scored a career-best 245 in his comeback knock in the first game but failed miserably in the next five innings.
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Malik made a comeback to the Test side after scoring 500 runs with a century and three fifties at an average of 100 in 11 ODI innings in 2015.
In an emotional press conference, the former captain said he wanted to 'spend more time with his family and focus on the 2019 World Cup.'
“I am retiring from Test cricket after this match,” Malik told reporters.
“The reason of my retirement from Test is not because of slump in form but it's because I want to give more time to my family and concentrate on the 2019 World Cup.”
“I realised today that this is the right time to leave the place for youngsters and Pakistan have many talented players who can fill in,” said Malik, who made his Test debut against Bangladesh in Multan in 2001.
In all, he played 35 Tests, scoring 1,898 runs with three centuries and eight half-centuries.
He has so far taken 29 wickets, with his best figures of 4-33 coming on Tuesday against England in Sharjah, a figure to which he can possibly add a few in England's second innings.
