ISLAMABAD, April 12: Waqar Younis, the man who perfected the art of reverse swing that spelt doom for batsmen the world over, on Monday officially retired from all forms of cricket.

"It is a sad day for me as I quit because cricket has given me everything, it is not only a game, it is a lifestyle," Waqar told a packed press conference. Waqar's only regrets in an illustrious career spanning 15 years was missing out on the 1992 World Cup that Pakistan won Down Under and not having played enough against India.

Announcing his decision in the presence of his family and the officials of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Waqar said he could have played on for a year or so. "I have lost hunger and I took this decision after consulting my wife and other family members," said Waqar, 32, who was dumped following last year's World Cup in South Africa.

Nicknamed the 'Burewala Express', Waqar took 416 wickets in 262 One-day Internationals at an average of 23.84 with his best haul of seven for 36 against England at Headingly in 2001.

He played 87 Tests taking 373 wickets at 23.56, achieving his best figures of seven for 76 against New Zealand in his eighth Test in 1990. Together with Wasim Akram, he formed the most lethal pace attack in the world that was greatly feared by batsmen. And Waqar had special praise for his partner. "It was an honour for me to be associated with him, he was such a great bowler."

Waqar, who also captained Pakistan, thanked Sufi Siddiq of Burewala, who he said had shown him the way, the legendary Imran Khan "my Godfather in cricket" and Javed Miandad, the current Pakistan coach.

He also had words of thanks for Lt Gen Tauqir Zia, the former PCB chief and the thousands of his fans and supporters. Waqar made his Test debut against India in 1989-90 in Karachi while his maiden appearance in One-day Internationals was in the Sharjah Cup in 1988-89.

He claimed 50 wickets in his first 10 Tests and touched the 200-mark in his 38th Test, the third fastest ever. Meanwhile, a trio of Indian players also eulogized Waqar's achievements. "A role model for the bowlers. He had pace, aggression, control and reverse swing. His outstanding record speaks for itself," said star batsman Sachin Tendulkar.

Captain Saurav Ganguly found him to be a "lethal bowler who could run through a side at any stage of the game" while for Rahul Dravid he "was a joy to watch in full flight." "He had a great action, pace, variety and stamina. He bowled reverse swing to deadly effect. One of the greatest bowlers of his time."