LAHORE: Former Pakistan Test left-arm spinner Abdur Rehman, who along with team-mate Saeed Ajmal famously stunned England during a 3-0 defeat in 2012, announced his retirement from international cricket on Wednesday.

The 38-year-old took 19 wickets and Ajmal finished with 24 when Pakistan whitewashed the then-world number one Test team in the UAE six years ago in one of the finest performances of his career.

However, Rehman said he was disheartened as of late after being ignored by national selectors.

“I am announcing retirement from international cricket with a heavy heart,” Rehman told media in Lahore. “It was a tough decision but I have decided to call it a day.”

A wily spinner Rehman finished his 22 Test career just one short of a deserved hundred wicket mark, while he took 30 in 31 ODIs and eight wickets in 11 Twenty20 Internationals.

His last Test was in Sri Lanka in 2014 before the selectors began picking younger players in his place to form a new team.

Rehman said dismantling the English batsmen in 2012 was his most memorable moment as a professional.

“The partnership with Saeed was really great and I can’t ever forget that England series when we clean swept them,” said Rehman. “I played in World Cups, in T20s so am very grateful I managed all that,” said Rehman, who will continue playing first-class cricket in Pakistan.

“I’m sad I couldn’t get that 100th wicket, that would’ve really been something, but I’m still grateful for 99 wickets in 22 Tests. Very few left-arm spinners have that,” he added.

Rehman’s reputation was also briefly hit by a 12-week ban after failing a drugs test during a stint with Somerset just a few months after his brilliant bowling against England in 2012.

Published in Dawn, October 11th, 2018