Former Pakistan wicket-keeper batsman Kamran Akmal on Tuesday announced his retirement from all forms of cricket after being included in the national selection committee. Kamran told reporters that he has taken up coaching as a profession and hence has decided to retire with immediate effect.

“I don’t think once you go into coaching or become a national selector, you can focus on playing,” he said.

Kamran, who has played 268 international matches for Pakistan till 2017, was also dropped by Pakistan Super League side Peshawar Zalmi and included him in their coaching staff instead of signing him as a wicket-keeper.

“I will play in the minor leagues but that too will depend on my responsibilities in the new role given to me by the PCB,” he added.

Kamran made his debut for Pakistan in 2002 and represented the team till 2017. Akmal scored 2648 runs in 53 Tests for Pakistan at an average of 30.79. He has 987 runs in 58 T20 Internationals at a strike rate of 119.64. At the same time, he has 3236 runs in ODIs at an average of 26.1.

If Rishabh Pant gets well, I will definitely slap him, know why Kapil Dev said this?

Throughout his career, he also scored 11 international centuries and 27 half-centuries. Akmal has scored 6 centuries and 12 half-centuries in Tests, five centuries and 10 Fifties in ODIs and 5 half-centuries in T20 Internationals. He last played for Pakistan in an ODI against the West Indies at the Providence Stadium in Guyana in April 2017.

Akmal is the second highest run scorer in the history of Pakistan Super League. He played for Zalmi from 2016 to 2022, where he scored three centuries and 12 half-centuries at 27.38 and a strike rate of 136.94.