Younis Khan to retire after West Indies Tests

TIL Desk Sports/ Long-serving Pakistan batsman and former captain Younis Khan today announced he will retire from international cricket after the upcoming Test series in the West Indies. “I will be retiring… with my head held high,” the 39-year-old said at a press conference here. “I think this is the right time as every sportsman has to take this decision in his career,” he added, bringing an end to a 17-year Test career.

Younis, who has led Pakistan in all three formats and guided them to their only World Twenty20 title in England in 2009, needs only 23 runs to reach 10,000 Test runs. Younis, thus, joined teammate Misbah-ul-Haq in retiring from international cricket at the end of the tour of the West Indies in April and May.

Younis has so far scored 34 Test centuries in 115 matches — the most by any batsman from the country — and is set to become the first Pakistani and 13th batsman in the world to score 10,000 or more runs. He has so far accumulated 9977 runs at an average of 53.06. India’s Sachin Tendulkar currently tops the charts with 15,921 runs in 200 matches. “People are calling me and asking me not to make any announcement to leave but now is the time,” Younis said.