Pakistan all-rounder Shoaib Malik retires from Test cricket

By Pascal Lemesre, Football League Editor

Published: November 3 2015 | 14:02

Last updated: November 3 2015 | 15:34

Pakistan all-rounder Shoaib Malik decides to call time on his Test career after the current series with England at the age of 33 to focus on the shorter forms of cricket.

Pakistan all-rounder Shoaib Malik has announced that he will retire from Test cricket at the end of the current series against England.

The 33-year-old was called up for the three-match series in the United Arab Emirates for his first Test appearance in over five years, but he will now move on from his time in cricket's longest form.

Malik announced his decision after the third day's play of the final Test in Sharjah in which he was removed for a golden duck by James Anderson.

Malik said that he would focus on the shorter forms of the game and suggested that he still wanted to be playing one-day internationals by the time of the 2019 World Cup.

"We have some good youngsters and now is the time to retire," he said. "Family comes first. I want to focus on the 2019 World Cup."

Malik returned with a bang at the start of this series, making a career-best 245 in his first appearance since facing England at Edgbaston in 2010.

However, he has scored 0, 2, 7 and 0 in his last four knocks. He did enjoy some form with the ball today, though, finishing with four England wickets.