ABU DHABI: After earning a contentious recall to national duty in ODI cricket, seasoned Pakistan batsman Younis Khan in a surprising decision on Wednesday announced his abrupt retirement from the format, saying the series opener against England in Abu Dhabi was his last match.

The 37-year-old had wanted to leave ODIs on a high after he was selected in the 16-man squad for the four-match series against England despite patchy recent form.

Wednesday’s game was Younis’s 265th ODI, nearly 16 years after making his debut against Sri Lanka in Karachi in February 2000. Going into his last match, the right-handed Younis had amassed 7,240 runs with seven hundreds and 48 half-centuries in one-dayers.

“He [Younis] will retire from ODI cricket after Wednesday’s game and he has conveyed this to us,” team manager Intikhab Alam said.

Younis himself expressed satisfaction over the retirement decision, which otherwise appears unusual.

“I feel satisfied and grateful to Almighty for showering numerous blessings on me,” the former captain said ahead of his 265th and final limited-overs international.

“It is one of His great blessings that I, by my own will, have taken this decision to retire from ODI cricket after having retired from T20 cricket already,” Younis added.

Younis said he had consulted with those close to him before reaching the decision.

“I am proud to announce that after playing for Pakistan for 15 years I am announcing my [ODI] retirement. I consulted with my close friends and family members before taking this decision,” the batsman said in a statement.

“As a batsman I played a positive role in the team’s wins in ODI cricket and now I realise that it’s time to keep myself away from limited-overs cricket.

“I hope that the young player who takes my place will keep the traditions which I have set on never compromising over discipline and fitness. I thank all my team-mates and team management for their cooperation throughout my career,” said Younis, who will continue to play Test cricket.

“It’s always a tough decision for a player to retire. I played my cricket with sincerity and discipline and see Pakistan’s future as bright and am sure that youngsters can fill in.

“Pakistan became world champions in the past and still have the capacity to become champions of the world again.”

Meanwhile, former Test fast bowler Sikander Bakht reckoned Younis should play the whole ODI series against England before quitting.

“He has set a wrong precedent, and it is like if you are a big player you can do whatever you want to do,” Sikander told a private TV channel.

Younis had retired from Twenty20 cricket after leading Pakistan to the World Twenty20 title in England in 2009. He was subsequently out of the one-day squad for most of 2013 before being selected for the tour of Sri Lanka in June last year.

He managed to score just three in the only match before he had to return home following the death of his nephew.

Dropped from ODI team against Australia last year, Younis smashed a total of 468 in the 2-0 Test win against Australia that forced the selectors to recall him to the ODI team.

But he failed miserably in the 2015 World Cup, managing 6, nought and 37 in the three matches he played before being dropped from the side again.

Published in Dawn, November 12th, 2015