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Pakistan opener Mohammad Hafeez to retire from Test cricket

Mohammad Hafeez during day one of the First Test match in the series between Australia and Pakistan at Dubai International Stadium on October 7, 2018 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
Image: Mohammad Hafeez has announced his 55th Test for Pakistan will be his last

Pakistan batsman Mohammad Hafeez has announced his retirement from Test cricket.

The ongoing third Test against New Zealand in Abu Dhabi, in which Hafeez made a first-innings duck, will be the 38-year-old opener's last as he focuses on limited-overs internationals.

He said: "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 looking 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."

Hafeez averages 38.29 with the opportunity for one more innings to come in five-day cricket. His 3,638 runs include 10 centuries, 12 fifties and a best score of 224 against Bangladesh in 2015.

He also has 53 Test wickets to his name with his off-spin, which is most effective in Twenty20 cricket where he has 54 international wickets at an average of 22.70. He has 8,061 runs and 44 fifties across the white-ball formats, with 11 ODI hundreds.

PCB chairman Ehsan Mani said: "Hafeez gave some memorable and match-winning performances for Pakistan in the Test match format; he lent great balance to the XI with his bowling abilities. His contribution in Test cricket will be remembered for a long time."

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