The sweet and emotional tweet by Sania Mirza post announcement of retirement in ODI cricket by hubby Shoaib Malik is winning everyone’s heart. The former captain of Pakistani team declared that he is quitting from the 50-over format of cricket in London on Friday as his team snubbed Bangladesh in the ongoing ICC World Cup Cricket.
Although Pakistan won the match it failed to reach the semi-finals as New Zealand moved in the top four based on its better average. Malik was not a part of the team that played its final group-stage match against Bangladesh. The superstar all-rounder received a guard of honor from the Pakistani cricketers after the Lord’s match with seniors and youngsters embracing him. Malik finished his ODI career with a score of 7534 averaging 34.55 from 287 matches.
While announcing his retirement Malik said, “Wherever I have given interviews recently, I have mentioned I am going to retire. This was my last game and I am retiring from ODI cricket. I had decided this long ago that I will retire after the last World Cup game of Pakistan. I am sad I will be leaving the format of cricket I once loved. I will now have more time to spend with my family and this will also allow me to play more T20s. Finally, I would like to thanks the players I have shared the dressing room with, my family and the coaches, my sponsors, the media and fans.”
Sweet Gesture From A Player And A Wife
Indian tennis star who is married to Malik posted a sweet tweet that says, “Every story has an end, but in life, every ending is a new beginning’ @realshoaibmalik ?? u have proudly played for your country for 20 years and u continue to do so with so much honor and humility..Izhaan and I are so proud of everything you have achieved but also for who you are. “
‘Every story has an end, but in life every ending is a new beginning’ @realshoaibmalik ? u have proudly played for your country for 20 years and u continue to do so with so much honour and humility..Izhaan and I are so proud of everything you have achieved but also for who u r❤️
— Sania Mirza (@MirzaSania) July 5, 2019
Since Sania herself is an international player she knows exactly how Malik must be feeling while announcing retirement from the main circuit of the game. So, the tweet from the Wimbledon Doubles’ Champion is not only a gesture from a wife but also from a player of an equal class who understands how a player feels when its time to hang the boots.
The tweet is supportive and all the more significant because of the horror run that Shoaib Malik had in World Cup 2019. Malik scored only 8 runs in 1 match and two ducks in the other two and hence was dropped from the playing XI post-Pakistan’s defeat against India on June 16.
A legend leaves the ODI field for the final time.
Thank you Shoaib Malik ?#CWC19 | #PAKvBAN pic.twitter.com/g1tlIsPEK0
— Cricket World Cup (@cricketworldcup) July 5, 2019
No Regrets But Disappointed
While talking to media during the announcement, Malik said, “I have no regrets. But it’s just that I have been too flexible in my batting order. I have batted wherever the team wanted. I have been dropped many times, I missed a few years of international cricket and have been around for 20 years, Malik said. I am disappointed to be judged on two bad games here.”
Prior to Pakistan’s match with India, Malik got trolled and criticized by fans after pictures of the cricketer hanging with his wife Sania and teammates at Shisha Cafe surfaced on social media. Malik will continue to play T20 cricket for his country. He retired from Test cricket in 2016.
Shoaib Malik "I am retiring from ODIs" #Cricket #cwc19 pic.twitter.com/F2MSVYdFBq
— Saj Sadiq (@Saj_PakPassion) July 5, 2019
