Zafar Ansari retires from cricket at 25 to ‘pursue new challenges’

LONDON: Zafar Ansari, an international cricketer of England has announced his retirement from the game on Wednesday at the age of only 25 years.

It is strange to know that the Surrey and England all-rounder, who has made his Test debut for England on the recent tours of Bangladesh and India where he played three Tests, has decided to say goodbye to his progressive career.

He had initially been called up to England's Test squad for the series against Pakistan in the UAE in late 2015, but broke his thumb just hours after the announcement.

Earlier, Ansari had played his only one-day international match in 2015 against Ireland at Dublin.

He has made 3,009 runs in 71 first class matches with three hundreds and 15 fifties, and also bagged 128 wickets.

A statement released by Surrey County Cricket Club stated he was “leaving cricket to pursue new challenges.”

Ansari said: “After seven years as a professional cricketer and almost two decades in total playing the game, I have decided to bring my cricket career to an end. This has been a very difficult decision to make and I have not made it lightly. I started playing for Surrey at the age of eight and the club has been a hugely important part of my life since then.

“I will look back extremely fondly on playing with some wonderful teams and having the opportunity to perform in front of the best crowds in county cricket at the Kia Oval. Equally, to have played three Test matches for England was a huge honour and it is something I will undoubtedly savour for the rest of my life. Most of all, I will miss the people with whom I have shared my career and I cherish the relationships that I’ve formed along the way.

Alec Stewart, director of cricket at Surrey CCC, added: “Zafar’s exceptionally tough but considered decision is one that we should all respect and understand. To retire at such a young age when his cricket career was progressing very nicely, earning a Test debut against Bangladesh last winter, proves that he has given great thought in deciding to walk away from the professional game.