On Tuesday, September 9, Pakistani speedster Usman Shinwari made the decision to end his international career. In one Test, seventeen ODIs, and sixteen T20Is, he took one, thirty-four, and thirteen wickets, respectively.
Even before turning 20, the left-arm fast bowler earned his debut for his country in December 2013 against Sri Lanka in Dubai. In a Test match against Sri Lanka in Rawalpindi in December 2019, he made his final appearance for the Men in Green. Due to typhoid, Shinwari was excluded from the next Test and was never again selected for the Tests.
In his second ODI appearance, Usman took five wickets against Sri Lanka in Sharjah, his best bowling stats to date. In his penultimate ODI of 2019, the Khyber Agency-born player claimed his second five-wicket haul, this time against Sri Lanka.
Shinwari took three wickets in three games while playing for Pakistan at the 2018 Asia Cup.
Shinwari will turn 32 in less than four months. He rose to No. 40 in ODIs and No. 56 in T20Is according to the ICC rankings. Shinwari has played for a number of teams in addition to his country’s national squad, including the Glasgow Giants, Lahore Qalandars, Melbourne Renegades, Jaffna Kings, Jaffna Stallions, squad Abu Dhaba, Quetta Gladiators, and Karachi Kings.
Shinwari was a real handful because of his ability to swing the ball, particularly during the powerplay. When in rhythm, he could move the ball in both directions and seriously trouble the opposing hitters. However, Shinwari found it challenging to maintain his position on the national squad because to Shaheen Shah Afridi’s ascent to prominence. His progress was also hampered by recurrent injuries. Throughout his career, a back issue flared up frequently, repeatedly delaying his progress.
Shinwari had declared his retirement from Test cricket in 2021, for those who were unaware. That year, he also lost his central contract. In November 2023, he played his last List A match in the Pakistan Cup.
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