Jharkhand's Shahbaz Nadeem announces retirement from all forms of cricket

Jharkhand’s cricketing fraternity was struck with sad news as Shahbaz Nadeem, the left-arm spinner officially announced his retirement from all international and first-class cricket. With a career spanning years of dedication, Nadeem has left behind a legacy.

Hailing from Jharkhand, Nadeem has donned the Indian jersey in two Tests. He made his Test debut against South Africa in 2019 in Ranchi. Nadeem's is last game for India was in 2021 against England in Chennai.

The spinner's illustrious career consists of a magnificent tally of 542 first-class wickets in 140 matches. His skills extended to the List A format, where he exhibited his finesse in 134 games, picking 175 wickets, including a standout performance against Rajasthan, registering his name in history books with his remarkable figures of 8/10.

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'I may not get a chance in the Indian team' - Shahbaz Nadeem

Reflecting on his decision, the 34-year-old spinner expressed that retirement had been lingering in his thoughts for some time. With the realisation that his prospects of donning the Indian colours again were dimming, Nadeem saw this juncture as an opportunity for nurturing the young talent waiting to make their mark on the national level. 

“I was considering my retirement for a long time and now I have decided that I am retiring from all three formats. I always felt that when you have some motivation then you keep motivating yourself to perform well. However now that I know that I may not get a chance in the Indian team, so, I should give a chance to the young cricketers. Now I am also planning to play in T20 leagues around the world,” he told to ESPNcricinfo.

Nadeem's contributions weren’t confined to the traditional formats alone, he left a mark in T20 cricket as well. His stint in the IPL, spanning 72 games, saw him mesmerising audiences with his craft. Beginning his journey with the Delhi Daredevils and later joining the Sunrisers Hyderabad, Nadeem's tally of 48 wickets shows his versatility across formats.

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In the Ranji Trophy, Nadeem was the highest wicket-taker for Jharkhand in consecutive seasons, cementing his status as a stalwart in domestic cricket. He has taken over 416 wickets in the FC format.