The left-handed batsman and a legend of a player, Yuvraj Singh announces his retirement from all forms of cricket on Monday, 10th June. He has amassed over 11,000 international runs and has featured in 304 ODIs, 40 Tests, and 58 T20Is.
On Monday, June 10th Yuvraj Singh announced his retirement from all forms of cricket after collecting massive achievements over the years! India’s 2011 World Cup hero last wore the cap of Indian colors in 2017 during a T20I match against England, which India won by 75 runs.
The 37-year old gave his statement at a press conference recently, “After 25 years in and around the 22 yards and almost 17 years of international cricket on and off, I have decided to move on. This game taught me how to fight, how to fall, to dust off, to get up again and move forward. I was extremely lucky to play 400 games for India. I could have never imagined it when I first started playing cricket. It was a love-hate relationship with this game. I can’t explain what it really means to me. This game taught me to fight. I have failed more times than I succeeded, and I will never give up.”
The legendary cricketer expressed his gratitude to his family, teammates, coaching staff and others who interacted with him during his career. He mentioned that he would be focusing on his work with cancer patients in the future.
“This brings me to my next focus in life, which is to help Cancer patients through my foundation YouWeCan. At YouWeCan we spread awareness about cancer and help the underprivileged by conducting screening camps, funding their treatments and sponsoring education to underprivileged cancer survived kids. We have also started our own merchandising arm YWC for the foundation to help generate funds for the cause. I really want to make a difference to the society by setting example through my inspiring story.”
While reminiscing his time in the 2011 World Cup, he said, “To be a part of history that was made after 28 years, what more could I ask for. It was the biggest high of my career and now it feels like the perfect time to move on.”
Singh also featured in the last edition of the IPL after being bought by Mumbai Indians for INR 1 Crore. However, out of the 16 matches in the tournament-winning campaign of the team, he only appeared in four games and scored 98 runs, including one half-century.
The left-handed batsman had decided a year ago that he would be playing his last edition of the IPL this year, “If I had got to play in the last IPL, which we won, that would have been an ideal send-off, but that was not to be.” He was an important part of the Indian team who won the 2007 T20I World Cup and was majorly contemplating retirement from international cricket to progress with a career in ICC approved foreign Twenty20 leagues.
Believe it or not, Singh has been the main force behind India’s second World Cup victory in 2011, for which he earned the player of the tournament award. He scored 362 runs in 8 innings, including four fifties and one century. In terms of bowling, he took 15 wickets in 9 matches and was regarded India’s second highest wicket-taker after Zaheer Khan.
“Thank You once again for being with me and I hope you accompany me in my next journey. See you on the other side,” Yuvraj’s final parting words will always stick with us for the rest of our life.
