Shahid Afridi to retire from international cricket next year

Shahid Afridi retired from ODIs after the end of the 2015 World Cup. © Getty

Pakistan allrounder Shahid Afridi announced he would retire from Twenty20 cricket next year, ending a colourful international career which earned him unmatched popularity in his homeland.

The 35-year-old retired from ODIs after last month's World Cup held in Australia and New Zealand where Pakistan reached the quarter-final, but said he would continue to play the shortest form of the game.

"I will retire from Twenty20 cricket after next year's T20 WC," Afridi, who left Test cricket in 2010, told reporters. "I will continue to play county cricket in England and a few Twenty20 leagues but my international career will end next year."

India will host the sixth edition of the T20 WC in March-April next year, where Afridi said he hoped to leave on a high."I want to finish my career with pleasant memories and had never thought I will play for Pakistan for so long," said Afridi.

Making his debut at the young age of 16, Afridi made headlines around the world when he smashed a 37-ball hundred in only his second ODI, against Sri Lanka in Nairobi in 1996, setting a world record.The record stood until last year when it broken by New Zealand's Corey Anderson with a 36-ball hundred and then bettered by South Africa's AB de Villiers who raced to a century off just 31 balls, against the West Indies in January this year.

Afridi, known for his aggressive approach to batting, his skillful legbreaks and good looks, maintains the world record for most sixes: 453 across all formats of the game.

He was appointed Twenty20 captain last year, having earlier led Pakistan in ODIs and Tests as well. He scored 8,064 runs in 398 one-day internationals but fell just five short of 400 wickets.

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