• Azhar Ali will play his 97th and final Test for Pakistan against England.
• He has scored 7,097 runs overall in 96 games.
• His greatest Test cricket score is an undefeated 302, which is still standing.

One of Pakistan’s most effective red-ball batsmen, Azhar Ali, made the announcement on Friday that he will be retiring from Test cricket after the third and final game of the series against England, which starts on Saturday.

Ali will play his 97th and final Test for Pakistan against England in Karachi, having made his Test debut against Australia at Lord’s in 2010. He has scored 7,097 runs overall in 96 games, averaging 42.49, with 19 centuries and 35 half-centuries.

“I consider it a huge honour and privilege to have had the opportunity to represent my nation at the greatest level. It’s never easy to decide when to hang up the baton, but after giving it some serious thought, I came to the conclusion that now is the ideal time for me to stop playing Test cricket.

I am thankful to a lot of individuals for helping me on this difficult but lovely trip. I want to specifically thank my family for their efforts, without which I would not be where I am today. My pillars of support have always been my parents, my wife, my siblings, and my kids “Ali stated in a statement released by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).

Additionally, Ali ranks fifth among Pakistan’s Test cricketers in terms of runs scored, trailing only the great batsmen Younis Khan (10,099), Javed Miandad (8,832), Inzamam-ul-Haq (8,829), and Mohammad Yousuf (7,530). Azhar made his Test debut at age 25 in 2010, and in only his second Test game, he quickly reached his first Test half-century.

He also holds the distinction of being the only Pakistani batsman to make a triple century in a pink-ball Test, a feat he accomplished in 2016 against the West Indies in Dubai. His greatest Test cricket score is an undefeated 302, which is still standing.

“I consider myself fortunate to have shared a dressing room with some of the best cricket players, with whom I have a close relationship. By considering these folks to be my friends, I feel much richer. I consider it a blessing that I had the opportunity to play for such fantastic coaches, to whom I will always be grateful.” I finish my career playing international cricket as a happy cricketer who has accomplished most of his personal objectives. Few cricketers go on to captain their nations, therefore it gives me tremendous joy that I was able to do so with Pakistan. I experienced the most romantic experiences of my life, which I will always treasure, from being a young man who began as a leg-spinner to being a mainstay in the Test batting line-up “Added he.

Azhar also scored two double hundreds during the course of his 12-year career: 226 against Bangladesh in Dhaka in May 2015 and 205 not out against Australia in Melbourne (December 2016). Between 2016 and 2020, Azhar led Pakistan in nine Test matches during two separate terms.

In addition, he scored a century or more in Zimbabwe, Australia, Bangladesh, England, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, United Arab Emirates, and West Indies. Azhar struck a century in each innings (109 and 100 not out) against Australia in Abu Dhabi in 2014, helping Pakistan win the second Test by 356 runs and the two-Test series 2-0.

“Azhar Ali has been one of Pakistan cricket’s most devoted and devoted servants. Many young cricketers have been inspired by his tenacity and dedication, and he serves as an example for upcoming players “It is unfortunate that Pakistan will not have a player with his level of experience in the locker room to draw from, but this only represents the natural course of things. I hope Azhar continues to contribute to Pakistan cricket’s growth and continues to impart his wealth of knowledge and expertise to aspiring players “Ramiz Raja, the PCB chairman, stated.

After assisting Pakistan in winning the 2017 ICC Champions Trophy, Azhar retired from One-Day Internationals in 2018. Azhar got scores of 50 (against India), 9 (against South Africa), 34 (against Sri Lanka), 76 (against England in the semifinals), and 59 in that competition (v India in final). He played in 1845 ODIs, scoring 1845 runs at an average of 36.90, with three centuries and 12 half-centuries.

Ali was left out of the second Test of the series against England at Multan, which the tourists won by 26 runs after Pakistan lost the first Test in Rawalpindi by 74 runs. In Karachi, which will also serve as Ali’s final Test match, England will be aiming for a clean sweep with a commanding 2-0 lead.

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