Mohammad Hafeez to retire after Abu Dhabi Test against Kiwis

Pakistan all-rounder Mohammad Hafeez will bid adieu to the Test cricket after their ongoing third and last match against New Zealand at Abu Dhabi.

The 38-year-old reasoned that he wants to focus more on the limited-over format especially the 2019 cricket World Cup.

"Today, I want to announce my retirement from the Test-match format so that I can focus my energies on playing for Pakistan in the white-ball formats. I am eyeing to represent Pakistan in the ICC World Cup next year. I feel honoured that I represented the country in 55 Test matches, including the opportunity of captaining the team. I feel satisfied that I performed to the best of my abilities in my 15 year-long Test career," ESPNcricinfo quoted Hafeez, as saying.

"I wish the Test team the very best for their upcoming assignments starting with the tour to South Africa, the team management especially the coach and captain have worked very hard in forming an exciting core of players that can serve for long," he added.

Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Ehsan Mani applauded the right-hand batsman for giving some "memorable" and "match-winning" performances.

"Hafeez gave some memorable and matching-winning performances for Pakistan in the Test match format. He lent great balance to the XI with his bowling abilities," Mani said.

Hafeez has played a total of 55Test matches scoring 3644 runs with an average of 37.96 along with scalping 53 wickets with an impressive economy rate of 2.67.