Pakistani batsman Asif Ali has announced his retirement from international cricket. This announcement comes just before the upcoming Asia Cup 2025. Ali, who was a part of the Pakistan team in the 2022 Asia Cup, made the decision after a period of absence from the team. He debuted for Pakistan in 2018 and played a combined 79 ODIs and T20s.
The 33-year-old took to social media on September 1st to announce his retirement. “Today, I announce my retirement from international cricket,” Ali stated. He added, “Wearing the Pakistan jersey has been the greatest honor of my life, and serving my country on the cricket field has been the most proud moment for me.” He also expressed gratitude to his teammates, coaches, and fans.
Ali made his T20 debut for Pakistan in 2018, followed by his ODI debut later the same year. Known for his aggressive batting style, he was often given opportunities in the Pakistani team, particularly in the middle order and as a finisher in T20s. However, he often struggled to perform consistently, and didn’t meet the expectations placed upon him.
Ali was not selected for the upcoming Asia Cup. He participated in the 2022 Asia Cup in the UAE. Before that tournament, he stated that he would hit 150 sixes in practice sessions daily. During the tournament, he only managed to secure a match-winning performance against Afghanistan, but did not deliver overall. Against India, he scored 25 runs off 15 balls over two matches. Even in the 2022 T20 World Cup, he only scored 2 runs against India.
Ali, who made his debut for Pakistan in 2018, has been out of the team for the last two years. His last T20 match was in October 2023 and his last ODI was in April 2022. In his career, he played 58 T20 matches, scoring 577 runs at an average of 15, with a strike rate of 133. In 21 ODIs, he managed 382 runs with an average of 25.