Shoaib Akhtar to retire after World Cup

It is the end of the line for the Rawalpindi Express as the Pakistan fast bowler announces his retirement after the World Cup.

Shoaib Akhtar celebrates taking a wicket against Sri Lanka earlier in the World Cup. He will retire after the tournament.

COLOMBO //  Shoaib Akhtar, the Pakistan fast bowler, will retire from international cricket after the World Cup, bringing an end to one of the most colourful careers in the sport.

"I have decided to say goodbye," Akhtar, reading from a statement, told a news conference, after Intikhab Alam, the Pakistan team manager, confirmed the paceman's intentions earlier today.

"This World cup is my last and the coming matches in the tournament would be last few of my international career."

The "Rawalpindi Express" made his international debut in 1997 in a Test match against the West Indies and is regarded as one of the fastest bowlers ever to play the game. But his career has been plagued by injuries and, more recently, off-field issues with the Pakistan Cricket Board.

________________________________________________

More

• Australia thrash Canada to top group but still have reason to worry
• West Indies feel it is 'a good time to play' England
• Points table
• Afridi says Pakistan love playing in India
________________________________________________

"I would have loved to continue, perhaps forever, but I must make way for the youngsters to take over," Akhtar, 35, said, then added dramatically: "With this announcement it feels like it's my first death."

Akhtar's teammates hugged him in the dressing room before Shahid Afridi, the captain, also embraced the paceman as they walked onto the field for a training session at the R Premadasa Stadium.

Akhtar played in 46 Test matches and took 178 wickets while in 163 one-day internationals he captured 247 wickets.

Despite struggling with his fitness ever since knee surgery in Australia two years ago, Pakistan selectors picked Akhtar for the World Cup.

But his his performance has been mixed in the tournament.

He has taken only three wickets in the three 2011 World Cup matches and was rested for the games against Canada and Zimbabwe.

His last over in the 110-run defeat to New Zealand went for 28 runs when Ross Taylor hit the paceman for three sixes and two fours.

Pakistan team management fined Akhtar for breaking a team curfew when the team played two World warm-up matches in Bangladesh last month.

Pakistan play the defending world champions Australia at Colombo on Saturday in the last match in Group A. Both teams have already qualified for the quarter-finals.