MOHALI: Australian all-rounder Shane Watson announced on Thursday he would retire from international cricket after the ongoing World Twenty20 in India, bringing to an end a sterling career spanning 14 years.

Watson, 34, shared his decision to call it quits with team-mates in Mohali, where Australia take on Pakistan in a World T20 group match on Friday, Cricket Australia said.

“It’s been over the last week that it’s really become clear that now really is the right time to retire from all international cricket,” Watson said in a statement issued by the national cricket body.

Watson had retired from Test cricket at the end of last year’s Ashes tour of England and has not played one-day internationals since September.

Watson, who is also retiring from first-class cricket, would however remain available for lucrative T20 leagues around the world. “I really enjoyed my time being back in the Australian squad but, it is quite different,” Watson, a father of two, said.

Published in Dawn, March 25th, 2016