Star Pakistan all-rounder Imad Wasim has done a U-turn on his T20I retirement, announcing his availability for the 2024 T20 World Cup in the USA and the Caribbean in June this year. In a social media post on Saturday (March 23), Imad said that he reconsidered his retirement to play in the 20-team tournament, clearing his intentions of not remaining available for selection beyond that.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!Imad said upon sitting with PCB officials, he decided to take a call on his retirement and declare his availability for the T20 World Cup. The left-arm all-rounder thanked the board for trusting him, vying to deliver it for the team on the grand stage.
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“I am happy to announce that pursuant to meeting PCB officials, I have reconsidered my retirement, and am delighted to declare my availability for Pakistan cricket in the T20I format leading up to ICC T20I World Cup 2024.”
“I would like to thank the PCB for reposing trust in me, and I would give my very best to bring laurels to my country. Pakistan comes first!,” Imad wrote on micro-blogging website X (previously known as Twitter).
Although Imad last represented Pakistan a year ago, speculations of his much-anticipated return to international cricket grew following his exploits in PSL 2024, wherein he won three back-to-back Player of the Match awards in the playoffs and the final, respectively, helping his team (Islamabad United) lift the trophy for the third time.
No central contract for Wasim
However, as per the latest reports, Wasim is not expected to sign a central contract and wishes to remain available for selection for the T20 World Cup alone.
PCB is yet to make an official announcement on considering Wasim for the T20 World Cup in June.
Meanwhile, Wasim’s figures in the West Indies while playing in the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) are superb, making him the go-to-man for the newly-appointed T20I captain, Shaheen Shah Afridi. Over the years, Wasim has picked 60 wickets in the CPL at an average of 18.88 and an economy of 6.20.
The lanky spinner has featured in 66 T20Is for Pakistan, scoring 486 runs at a strike rate of 131.70 and picking 65 wickets with an economy of 6.26.
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