Samikhsya Bureau
Swashbuckling cricketer Yuvraj Singh, one of the biggest match-winners India has ever produced, on Monday announced his retirement from international cricket.
Announcing his retirement in a press conference in Mumbai, the celebrated cricketer said that the Indian Premier League 2019 was his last as a player.
Getting emotional and fighting back tears during the press conference, the 37-year-old Singh said that he had decided to hang his boots after playing cricket for 25 years. “Last year, I had decided that IPL 2019 will be my last,” he said.
In IPL 2019, the all-rounder played just four matches for Mumbai Indians scoring 98 runs at an average of 24.50 including a half-century. Mumbai Indians won their fourth IPL title this season by beating Chennai Super Kings.
Singh, 37, made his debut in the ICC KnockOut Trophy in Kenya in 2000 and his career spanned 19 years. He played 40 Tests, 304 One Day International and 58 T20 Internationals. In total, he played over 400 games.
The left-handed attacking batsman’s crowning glory was the World Cup final in 2011 in which he was declared the Man of the Tournament. In the same tournament, he hit six sixes off an over in a match between India and England.
However, the biggest challenge of his life was his battle against cancer soon after 2011 World Cup glory. He made a come back after getting cured and shined for a while but never got back his pre-cancer cricketing form.
Singh last represented India in June 2017. He bowed out after making 1,900 runs in Tests and 8701 runs in one-day matches, which he enjoyed the most with his flamboyant style of batting. The one-day form included 14 hundreds and 52 fifties. In 58 T20Is, he amassed 1,177 runs with eight half-centuries.
However, Yuvraj said that he would love to play in other domestic T20 tournament if allowed by the BCCI.
