43-year-old UAE batsman Khurram Khan has retired from international cricket, after the conclusion of his side’s heavy defeat to Ireland on Friday.
It was not the exit to the game Khan would have hoped for: he only managed scores of 24 and 10 as Ireland romped to an innings-and-26-run victory in the ICC Intercontinental Cup.
Born in Multan, Pakistan, Khan moved to the UAE in 1999 to work for Emirates Airlines as a flight purser. Two years later, he made his UAE debut during the ICC Trophy in Canada.
There, he played ten games over the course of the two-week tournament, scoring 243 runs over eight innings at an average above 60, and was the third-highest wicket-taker of the competition, with nineteen scalps.
Khurram played 16 ODIs, scoring 582 runs at an average of 41.57, with one century and three fifties. He also took 12 wickets with his left-arm spin. In November 2014, he became the oldest player to score an ODI century with an innings of 132 not out against Afghanistan in Dubai. Having reached the milestone at 43, he broke Sri Lankan Sanath Jayasuriya’s previous record by nearly four years.
Today, a gentleman of #UAE #Cricket steps away from the International Game. @1_PAK thank you & see you in the nets! pic.twitter.com/8nG8jUdd2B
— UAE Cricket Official (@EmiratesCricket) June 5, 2015
Khurram was the leading run-scorer in the World Cup Qualifier in 2014, having made 581 runs at an impressive average of 72.62, which was enough to take the UAE to the second World Cup in their history. He led the team for ten years, before being relieved ahead of the 2015 World Cup, where he served as Mohammad Tauqir’s deputy.
At the tournament, despite a meagre return of just 155 runs in six innings, Khan shot to social media fame, after #KhurramKhanFacts trended globally on Twitter during UAE’s first match, with fans praising the all-rounder somewhat superfluously on the social network.
KHURRAM KHAN RETIRES
Speaking on Khan’s retirement, UAE National Coach Aqib Javed said: “I’d personally like to thank Khurram for the enormous contribution he’s made to UAE Cricket during and before my time with the team. He’s a highly skilful player, who’s experienced enormous success with the UAE and been a standout player in Associate cricket, he’s also an incredible competitor so I’m sure he’ll be determined to sign off with another good performance against Ireland.”
David East, CEO of the Emirates Cricket Board added: “Khurram has been a fantastic servant to the UAE national team and will be missed both on and off the field. We wish him well in his retirement from the international game.”
The ECB hope to keep Khan involved in the local game and will be exploring options to ensure his expertise, to assist the development of the next crop of UAE Cricket stars, will be utilised.
