Fakhar Zaman’s Retirement Drama & 3 Pakistan Players Who Took U-Turns

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3 Pakistani Players Who Reversed Their Retirement Decisions

1. Shahid Afridi in 2006 and 2017

The concept of the term “retirement u-turn” was again explained by Shahid Afridi. He announced his exit five times between 2006 and 2017, only to come back thrice in 2006, 2011 and 2016. Every time, fulfilled Pakistan's need for explosive batting, crafty leg-spin and unrivaled charisma.

We can consider the example of the 2016 T20 World Cup match. At 36 years old,he still believed in his enduring value, as he led Pakistan to the semi-finals with his vital wickets and unbeatable performance against Bangladesh. His ability to perform under so much pressure made the door open for his comebacks, and reminded why he is beloved by his fans and teammates.

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 2. Imad Wasim in 2023

A bid farewell was taken by Imad Wasim in November 2023, desiring to explore “other opportunities”. After six months, an impressive run in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) campaign. has changed everything. Imad’s performance has reignited the National selectors' interest by leading the Islamabad United to the 2024 title victory, as awarded as the Player-of-the-match.

Meanwhile, once again Imad Wasim was retired from International Cricket, with his decision being announced via social media. In his overall career, he has scored 986 runs in 55 One Day Internationals (ODIs), racking up an impressive average of 42.86 and a strike rate of 110.29, also got the name for five fifties. Apart from that, he has also scored 554 runs at a strike rate of 130.04. With the ball, 44 wickets were taken by him in ODIs and 73 in T20Is.

3. Mohammad Amir in 2020

Mohammad Amir’s retirement in 2020 was a bold statement against what he described as the “mental torture” from the PCB management. Many believed it was the end of his career. Fast forward to four years later, and the left-arm pacer, now 32, surprised everyone by announcing that he was available for the 2024 T20 World Cup.

Amir shared that he had constructive discussions with PCB officials, which played a role in his decision to come back. His performance in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) was a mixed bag; he took 10 wickets while playing for the Quetta Gladiators. However, he really shone in the Caribbean Premier League, where he racked up an impressive 43 wickets at an economy rate of 6.50.