South Africa ace Hashim Amla retires from international cricket
South Africa batsman Hashim Amla has announced his retirement from all forms of international cricket.
He played 349 matches in a stellar 15-year international career, hitting more than 18,000 runs across all formats, including 55 centuries and 88 half-centuries. The right-hander will continue to play domestic cricket.
Amla, who made his Test debut in 2004, scored 9,282 Test runs at 46.64, including a career-best of 311*; he is the only South African to have hit a triple hundred in the format.
Career highlights include the 490 runs he made in the two-match Test series in India in 2010, including a double hundred and two further centuries – a series in which he lost his wicket just once.
He claimed the Man of the Series award in both the Test and ODI series against England in 2012, and rose to the top of the batting rankings in Test cricket in 2013. He was named the Proteas’ Cricketer of the Year in 2010 and 2013, and briefly skippered the side, leading his nation to a Test series victory in Sri Lanka.
No South African has more ODI hundreds than Hashim Amla
Amla also enjoyed tremendous success in ODIs with 8,113 runs at 49.46, including a high score of 159, while no South Africa has more than his 27 ODI tons. To further illustrate his superiority, he reached the landmarks of 2,000, 3,000, 4,000, 5,000, 6,000 and 7,000 runs in ODIs faster than anyone else (in terms of innings). He also scored 1,277 runs in 44 T20Is.
“I would like to thank my parents for their prayers, love and support, it is their shadow over me that enabled me to play for years under the Protea sun,” Amla said. “Also, my family, friends and agent, my teammates and every member of the support staff throughout this incredible journey. A heartfelt thank you to every one of you!
“The fans for energising me when times were tough, and for celebrating with me when we succeeded together.”
Cricket South Africa chief executive Thabang Moroe said: “It is always sad to bid farewell to one of the true legends of the game, but at the same time this is rather an occasion to celebrate the richness that Hashim has brought to the game around the world both on and off the field.
“His humility has always been his standout quality and I cannot imagine a better role model to teach us all how to lead better lives. He has added great value not only to the Proteas but to the country at large.
Amla’s Proteas teammate Dale Steyn announced his retirement from Test cricket this week in a bid to prolong his career.
