PAKISTAN SPINNER AJMAL ANNOUNCES HIS RETIREMENT

World T20 winner has taken 447 international wickets during his career

Saeed Ajmal has announced he will retire from cricket at the end of ongoing National T20 Cup in Pakistan.

The 40-year-old, who made 35 Test, 113 ODI and 64 T20I appearances for his country, is set to take up a coaching role with Islamabad during the Pakistan Super League next year.

And he has decided that the time is right to put an end to his playing career.

“I will do a press conference at the end of this tournament and will announce my retirement officially,” Ajmal told the Express Tribune.

“I am not doing this under any pressure from anyone.

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“This is my own decision. I have turned 40 now, I had to leave cricket one day, so I thought I should announce my retirement since the matches are being broadcasted live.”

Ajmal claimed 447 wickets for Pakistan across formats after arriving in the international game at the age of 30.

He was an integral member of the squad which won the World T20 title in 2009, ending as the tournament’s second-highest wicket-taker.

In 2012, on tour in England, he claimed 24 wickets at 14.7 apiece - a series widely regarded as his best in Test cricket.

^{Saeed Ajmal took 447 international wickets}