The life of a cricketer is nothing short of a challenging journey that begins the day he/she chooses to step out onto the field with the intention of dedicating his/her body and soul to the game. As memorable as individual milestones may be, two days figure significantly in a cricketer&#8217;s career timeline- the day he first dons his national team&#8217;s jersey and the day he makes his last walk back to the pavilion. 2017 saw several such walks from some stellar students of the game.

Player retirements in the game of cricket invoke amongst the fans of the sport a deep sadness and a plethora of emotions. Watching them bat or bowl for years establishes an invisible bond between us, the spectators and them, the embodiment of our very spirit. When such players take the decision to hang up their boots, it leaves their admirers proud and yet, heartbroken at the same time. 2017 was a year drenched in the tears of pride and sorrow at bidding adieu to quite a few amazing cricketers. Let&#8217;s take a look at the 5 top International cricketers who retired this year.

<a href="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2016/03/Shahid-Afridi-2.jpg"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-59673" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/Shahid-Afridi-2.jpg" alt="Shahid Afridi" width="600" height="413" sizes="(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px"></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-59673" class="wp-caption-text">Shahid Afridi, of Pakistan. (Photo by Jan Kruger-IDI/IDI via Getty Images)</figcaption>

&#8216;Boom Boom&#8217; Afridi holds the keys to a million cricket lovers&#8217; hearts. Many of us have grown up watching him smash those awe-inspiring boundaries at will and we know for a fact the terror he used to strike in the opposition&#8217;s hearts when he&#8217;d walk out to bat. Having made his debut as a 16-year old way back in 1996, Afridi was renowned for his swashbuckling hitting, bordering on eccentricity at times. He made headlines time and again for retiring multiple times and coming out of it at the snap of fingers, but this time around, it looks final!

Afridi has had an impeccable track record over the years, having played for Pakistan for close to two decades, Northamptonshire and Hampshire in County Cricket and in various T20 leagues like the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL), Caribbean Premier League (CPL) and the recently concluded <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/zareen-khan-dances-in-delight-after-shahid-afridi-claims-his-hat-trick-wicket-in-t10-league/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">T10 Cricket League</a>, where he picked up a hat-trick in the very first game.

The fiery bowling all-rounder has primarily been a limited-overs specialist, with 8064 runs and 395 scalps in 398 games alongside 1405 runs and 97 wickets in 98 T20Is. The 37-year-old chose to bow out of all forms of the game after scoring a sensational half-century for Peshawar Zalmi in the 2017 Pakistan Super League (PSL).

<a href="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2017/11/Ashish-Nehra-1.jpg"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-188456" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/Ashish-Nehra-1.jpg" alt="Ashish Nehra" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-188456" class="wp-caption-text">Ashish Nehra. (Photo Source: Twitter)</figcaption>

Veteran Indian pacer, Ashish Nehra retired from all forms of the game, including T20 leagues like the IPL on November 1, 2017, having played his last game as a T20I against New Zealand at his home ground, Ferozshah Kotla in New Delhi amidst cheers from team members and fans.

A man with an illustrious career spanning 18 years, Nehra was the pivot of India&#8217;s pace attack for a significant period of time. The man had more to his credit given that he had to undergo nearly 12 surgeries and was plagued by countless injuries throughout his career.

In spite of the innumerable setbacks, Nehra kept making comebacks, one better than the next. His remarkable figures of 6/23 against England in the 2003 World Cup will forever remain as one of the glittering jewels in his exceptional bowling career. In the 120 ODIs that Nehra played for <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/cricket-teams/india/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">India</a>, he picked up 157 wickets at an average of 31.73 while in his 27-matches long T20I career, he bagged 34 scalps at an average of 22.29.

<a href="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2017/05/my2.jpg"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-146115" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/my2.jpg" alt="Misbah-ul-Haq and Younis Khan" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-146115" class="wp-caption-text">Misbah-ul-Haq and Younis Khan (Photo: MARK RALSTON/AFP/Getty Images)</figcaption>

Hailed as one of Pakistan&#8217;s most successful captain of all times, Misbah-ul-Haq is remembered fondly by cricket lovers worldwide for his calm demeanour and sound batting skills. His retirement came in May 2017 after the Test series against West Indies where Misbah captained the side.

The 43-year-old had first been entrusted with the reins of the national side back in 2010 when he was still a relatively inexperienced young man. He came through in more ways than one as he nurtured some of the best talents in the Pakistan side under his watchful eyes and also led them to 24 Test victories in 53 matches.

The 43-year old right-hander made his debut into the international foray back in 2001 and went on to represent his nation in all 3 formats of the game. Notably, he&#8217;s also one of the very few Pakistan players to have participated in the Indian Premier League (IPL), back in 2008 when he played for the Royal Challengers Bangalore. The 75 Tests that Misbah played for Pakistan saw him accrue 5222 runs, with 10 centuries to his names. He also scored 5122 runs in the 162 ODIs that he represented his country in at a decent average of 43.41, including the highest score of 96.

<a href="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2017/01/Dwayne-Smith.jpg"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-102563" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/Dwayne-Smith.jpg" alt="Dwayne Smith of West Indies" width="600" height="425" sizes="(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px"></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-102563" class="wp-caption-text">Dwayne Smith of West Indies. (Photo by Duif du Toit/Gallo Images/Getty Images)</figcaption>

Caribbean batsman, Dwayne Smith was another star cricketer to step down the pedestal of international cricket in 2017. His decision to bow out of the game came on March 1, 2017, and he announced it to the world before the start of the PSL Eliminator against Karachi Kings at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium. The 34-year-old feisty Barbados-born batsman has had a prolific career over the last decade.

Smith made his debut for the West Indies side back in early January 2004 in the Tests, followed by his ODI debut later that month. Over the years, he went on to emerge as the batting mainstay for his side in the shorter formats of the game. In addition to his fearless batting skills, Smith proved himself to be a more than useful part-time seam bowling option for his team.

He went on to feature heavily in limited-overs tournaments like the BPL and the IPL, playing for the Deccan Chargers, Mumbai Indians, <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/ipl-2018-5-cricketers-chennai-super-kings-should-retain/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Chennai Super Kings</a> and Gujarat Lions respectively in the latter tournament over the various seasons.

In his career span, Smith took part in 105 ODIs, and scored 1560 runs at a jaw-dropping strike-rate of 92.69 and also picked up 61 wickets at an average of 37.46, including a five-wicket haul while conceding just 45 runs. As for the shortest format of the game, he scored 582 runs with the best score of 72 and three half-centuries. Smith&#8217;s IPL career speaks volumes about his prowess as a player, as he has 2385 runs and 26 scalps to his name in just 91 games.

<a href="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2017/05/Younis-Khan-2.jpg"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-145831" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/Younis-Khan-2.jpg" alt="Younis Khan" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-145831" class="wp-caption-text">Younis Khan. (Photo credit: MARK RALSTON/AFP/Getty Images)</figcaption>

The Pakistan team of 2017 saw one retirement after the other, as the mighty Younis Khan chose to call it quits at the same time as his teammate, Misbah-ul-Haq. The 40-year-old holds some unparalleled records including the one for being the player with most number of Test runs for Pakistan. Khan retired from international cricket after the conclusion of the Test series against West Indies in May 2017.

The prolific Younis Khan has some big runs to sing odes to his talent and skill. He played 118 Tests for his national side, which saw him score 10,099 runs, including 34 centuries and 6 double tons. He also featured in 265 ODIs for Pakistan, where he scored 7249 runs, aided by 7 tons and 48 half-centuries. Khan also led Pakistan out on to the field several times, a role that he played on and off in his career. The gifted cricketer also possesses the record of having scored a Test century in all the 11 Test playing countries of his time- a milestone untouched till date.

The life of a cricketer is nothing short of a challenging journey that begins the day he/she chooses to step out onto the field with the intention of dedicating his/her body and soul to the game. As memorable as individual milestones may be, two days figure significantly in a cricketer’s career timeline- the day he first dons his national team’s jersey and the day he makes his last walk back to the pavilion. 2017 saw several such walks from some stellar students of the game.
Player retirements in the game of cricket invoke amongst the fans of the sport a deep sadness and a plethora of emotions. Watching them bat or bowl for years establishes an invisible bond between us, the spectators and them, the embodiment of our very spirit. When such players take the decision to hang up their boots, it leaves their admirers proud and yet, heartbroken at the same time. 2017 was a year drenched in the tears of pride and sorrow at bidding adieu to quite a few amazing cricketers.&nbsp;Let’s take a look at the 5 top International cricketers who retired this year.
<h3>1. Shahid Afridi (Pakistan):</h3>
<figure id="attachment_59673" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-59673" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"><a href="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2016/03/Shahid-Afridi-2.jpg"><amp-img class="size-full wp-image-59673" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/Shahid-Afridi-2.jpg" alt="Shahid Afridi" width="600" height="413" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-59673" class="wp-caption-text">Shahid Afridi, of Pakistan. (Photo by Jan Kruger-IDI/IDI via Getty Images)</figcaption></figure>
‘Boom Boom’ Afridi holds the keys to a million cricket lovers’ hearts. Many of us have grown up watching him smash those awe-inspiring boundaries at will and we know for a fact the terror he used to strike in the opposition’s hearts when he’d walk out to bat. Having made his debut as a 16-year old way back in 1996, Afridi was renowned for his swashbuckling hitting, bordering on eccentricity at times. He made headlines time and again for retiring multiple times and coming out of it at the snap of fingers, but this time around, it looks final!
Afridi has had an impeccable track record over the years, having played for Pakistan for close to two decades, Northamptonshire and Hampshire in County Cricket and in various T20 leagues like the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL), Caribbean Premier League (CPL) and the recently concluded <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/zareen-khan-dances-in-delight-after-shahid-afridi-claims-his-hat-trick-wicket-in-t10-league/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">T10 Cricket League</a>, where he picked up a hat-trick in the very first game.
The fiery bowling all-rounder has primarily been a limited-overs specialist, with 8064 runs and 395 scalps in 398 games alongside 1405 runs and 97 wickets in 98 T20Is. The 37-year-old chose to bow out of all forms of the game after scoring a sensational half-century for Peshawar Zalmi in the 2017 Pakistan Super League (PSL).
<h3>2. Ashish Nehra (India):</h3>
<figure id="attachment_188456" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-188456" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"><a href="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2017/11/Ashish-Nehra-1.jpg"><amp-img class="size-full wp-image-188456" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/Ashish-Nehra-1.jpg" alt="Ashish Nehra" width="640" height="400" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-188456" class="wp-caption-text">Ashish Nehra. (Photo Source: Twitter)</figcaption></figure>
Veteran Indian pacer, Ashish Nehra retired from all forms of the game, including T20 leagues like the IPL on November 1, 2017, having played his last game as a T20I against New Zealand at his home ground, Ferozshah Kotla in New Delhi amidst cheers from team members and fans.
A man with an illustrious career spanning 18 years, Nehra was the pivot of India’s pace attack for a significant period of time. The man had more to his credit given that he had to undergo nearly 12 surgeries and was plagued by countless injuries throughout his career.
In spite of the innumerable setbacks, Nehra kept making comebacks, one better than the next. His remarkable figures of 6/23 against England in the 2003 World Cup will forever remain as one of the glittering jewels in his exceptional bowling career. In the 120 ODIs that Nehra played for <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/cricket-teams/india/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">India</a>, he picked up 157 wickets at an average of 31.73 while in his 27-matches long T20I career, he bagged 34 scalps at an average of 22.29.
<h3>3. Misbah-ul-Haq (Pakistan):</h3>
<figure id="attachment_146115" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-146115" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"><a href="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2017/05/my2.jpg"><amp-img class="size-full wp-image-146115" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/my2.jpg" alt="Misbah-ul-Haq and Younis Khan" width="640" height="400" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-146115" class="wp-caption-text">Misbah-ul-Haq and Younis Khan (Photo: MARK RALSTON/AFP/Getty Images)</figcaption></figure>
Hailed as one of Pakistan’s most successful captain of all times, Misbah-ul-Haq is remembered fondly by cricket lovers worldwide for his calm demeanour and sound batting skills. His retirement came in May 2017 after the Test series against West Indies where Misbah captained the side.
The 43-year-old had first been entrusted with the reins of the national side back in 2010 when he was still a relatively inexperienced young man. He came through in more ways than one as he nurtured some of the best talents in the Pakistan side under his watchful eyes and also led them to 24 Test victories in 53 matches.
The 43-year old right-hander made his debut into the international foray back in 2001 and went on to represent his nation in all 3 formats of the game. Notably, he’s also one of the very few Pakistan players to have participated in the Indian Premier League (IPL), back in 2008 when he played for the Royal Challengers Bangalore. The 75 Tests that Misbah played for Pakistan saw him accrue 5222 runs, with 10 centuries to his names. He also scored 5122 runs in the 162 ODIs that he represented his country in at a decent average of 43.41, including the highest score of 96.
<h3>4. Dwayne Smith</h3>
<figure id="attachment_102563" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-102563" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"><a href="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2017/01/Dwayne-Smith.jpg"><amp-img class="size-full wp-image-102563" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/Dwayne-Smith.jpg" alt="Dwayne Smith of West Indies" width="600" height="425" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-102563" class="wp-caption-text">Dwayne Smith of West Indies. (Photo by Duif du Toit/Gallo Images/Getty Images)</figcaption></figure>
Caribbean batsman, Dwayne Smith was another star cricketer to step down the pedestal of international cricket in 2017. His decision to bow out of the game came on March 1, 2017, and he announced it to the world&nbsp;before the start of the PSL Eliminator against Karachi Kings at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium. The 34-year-old feisty Barbados-born batsman has had a prolific career over the last decade.
Smith made his debut for the West Indies side back in early January 2004 in the Tests, followed by his ODI debut later that month. Over the years, he went on to emerge as the batting mainstay for his side in the shorter formats of the game. In addition to his fearless batting skills, Smith proved himself to be a more than useful part-time seam bowling option for his team.
He went on to feature heavily in limited-overs tournaments like the BPL and the IPL, playing for the Deccan Chargers, Mumbai Indians, <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/ipl-2018-5-cricketers-chennai-super-kings-should-retain/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Chennai Super Kings</a> and Gujarat Lions respectively in the latter tournament over the various seasons.
In his career span, Smith took part in 105 ODIs, and scored 1560 runs at a jaw-dropping strike-rate of 92.69 and also picked up 61 wickets at an average of 37.46, including a five-wicket haul while conceding just 45 runs. As for the shortest format of the game,&nbsp;he scored 582 runs with the best score of 72 and three half-centuries. Smith’s IPL career speaks volumes about his prowess as a player, as he has 2385 runs and 26 scalps to his name in just 91 games.
<h3>5. Younis Khan</h3>
<figure id="attachment_145831" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-145831" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"><a href="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2017/05/Younis-Khan-2.jpg"><amp-img class="size-full wp-image-145831" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/Younis-Khan-2.jpg" alt="Younis Khan" width="640" height="400" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-145831" class="wp-caption-text">Younis Khan. (Photo credit: MARK RALSTON/AFP/Getty Images)</figcaption></figure>
The Pakistan team of 2017 saw one retirement after the other, as the mighty Younis Khan chose to call it quits at the same time as his teammate, Misbah-ul-Haq. The 40-year-old holds some unparalleled records including the one for being the player with most number of Test runs for Pakistan. Khan retired from international cricket after the conclusion of the Test series against West Indies in May 2017.
The prolific Younis Khan has some big runs to sing odes to his talent and skill. He played 118 Tests for his national side, which saw him score 10,099 runs, including 34 centuries and 6 double tons. He also featured in 265 ODIs for Pakistan, where he scored 7249 runs, aided by 7 tons and 48 half-centuries. Khan also led Pakistan out on to the field several times, a role that he played on and off in his career. The gifted cricketer also possesses the record of having scored a Test century in all the 11 Test playing countries of his time- a milestone untouched till date.

The life of a cricketer is nothing short of a challenging journey that begins the day he/she chooses to step out onto the field with the intention of dedicating his/her body and soul to the game. As memorable as individual milestones may be, two days figure significantly in a cricketer&#8217;s career timeline- the day he first dons his national team&#8217;s jersey and the day he makes his last walk back to the pavilion. 2017 saw several such walks from some stellar students of the game.
Player retirements in the game of cricket invoke amongst the fans of the sport a deep sadness and a plethora of emotions. Watching them bat or bowl for years establishes an invisible bond between us, the spectators and them, the embodiment of our very spirit. When such players take the decision to hang up their boots, it leaves their admirers proud and yet, heartbroken at the same time. 2017 was a year drenched in the tears of pride and sorrow at bidding adieu to quite a few amazing cricketers. Let&#8217;s take a look at the 5 top International cricketers who retired this year.
<h3>1. Shahid Afridi (Pakistan):</h3>
<figure id="attachment_59673" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-59673" style="width: 600px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2016/03/Shahid-Afridi-2.jpg"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-59673" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/Shahid-Afridi-2.jpg" alt="Shahid Afridi" width="600" height="413" sizes="(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px"></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-59673" class="wp-caption-text">Shahid Afridi, of Pakistan. (Photo by Jan Kruger-IDI/IDI via Getty Images)</figcaption></figure>
&#8216;Boom Boom&#8217; Afridi holds the keys to a million cricket lovers&#8217; hearts. Many of us have grown up watching him smash those awe-inspiring boundaries at will and we know for a fact the terror he used to strike in the opposition&#8217;s hearts when he&#8217;d walk out to bat. Having made his debut as a 16-year old way back in 1996, Afridi was renowned for his swashbuckling hitting, bordering on eccentricity at times. He made headlines time and again for retiring multiple times and coming out of it at the snap of fingers, but this time around, it looks final!
Afridi has had an impeccable track record over the years, having played for Pakistan for close to two decades, Northamptonshire and Hampshire in County Cricket and in various T20 leagues like the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL), Caribbean Premier League (CPL) and the recently concluded <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/zareen-khan-dances-in-delight-after-shahid-afridi-claims-his-hat-trick-wicket-in-t10-league/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">T10 Cricket League</a>, where he picked up a hat-trick in the very first game.
The fiery bowling all-rounder has primarily been a limited-overs specialist, with 8064 runs and 395 scalps in 398 games alongside 1405 runs and 97 wickets in 98 T20Is. The 37-year-old chose to bow out of all forms of the game after scoring a sensational half-century for Peshawar Zalmi in the 2017 Pakistan Super League (PSL).
<h3>2. Ashish Nehra (India):</h3>
<figure id="attachment_188456" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-188456" style="width: 640px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2017/11/Ashish-Nehra-1.jpg"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-188456" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/Ashish-Nehra-1.jpg" alt="Ashish Nehra" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-188456" class="wp-caption-text">Ashish Nehra. (Photo Source: Twitter)</figcaption></figure>
Veteran Indian pacer, Ashish Nehra retired from all forms of the game, including T20 leagues like the IPL on November 1, 2017, having played his last game as a T20I against New Zealand at his home ground, Ferozshah Kotla in New Delhi amidst cheers from team members and fans.
A man with an illustrious career spanning 18 years, Nehra was the pivot of India&#8217;s pace attack for a significant period of time. The man had more to his credit given that he had to undergo nearly 12 surgeries and was plagued by countless injuries throughout his career.
In spite of the innumerable setbacks, Nehra kept making comebacks, one better than the next. His remarkable figures of 6/23 against England in the 2003 World Cup will forever remain as one of the glittering jewels in his exceptional bowling career. In the 120 ODIs that Nehra played for <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/cricket-teams/india/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">India</a>, he picked up 157 wickets at an average of 31.73 while in his 27-matches long T20I career, he bagged 34 scalps at an average of 22.29.
<h3>3. Misbah-ul-Haq (Pakistan):</h3>
<figure id="attachment_146115" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-146115" style="width: 640px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2017/05/my2.jpg"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-146115" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/my2.jpg" alt="Misbah-ul-Haq and Younis Khan" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-146115" class="wp-caption-text">Misbah-ul-Haq and Younis Khan (Photo: MARK RALSTON/AFP/Getty Images)</figcaption></figure>
Hailed as one of Pakistan&#8217;s most successful captain of all times, Misbah-ul-Haq is remembered fondly by cricket lovers worldwide for his calm demeanour and sound batting skills. His retirement came in May 2017 after the Test series against West Indies where Misbah captained the side.
The 43-year-old had first been entrusted with the reins of the national side back in 2010 when he was still a relatively inexperienced young man. He came through in more ways than one as he nurtured some of the best talents in the Pakistan side under his watchful eyes and also led them to 24 Test victories in 53 matches.
The 43-year old right-hander made his debut into the international foray back in 2001 and went on to represent his nation in all 3 formats of the game. Notably, he&#8217;s also one of the very few Pakistan players to have participated in the Indian Premier League (IPL), back in 2008 when he played for the Royal Challengers Bangalore. The 75 Tests that Misbah played for Pakistan saw him accrue 5222 runs, with 10 centuries to his names. He also scored 5122 runs in the 162 ODIs that he represented his country in at a decent average of 43.41, including the highest score of 96.
<h3>4. Dwayne Smith</h3>
<figure id="attachment_102563" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-102563" style="width: 600px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2017/01/Dwayne-Smith.jpg"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-102563" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/Dwayne-Smith.jpg" alt="Dwayne Smith of West Indies" width="600" height="425" sizes="(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px"></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-102563" class="wp-caption-text">Dwayne Smith of West Indies. (Photo by Duif du Toit/Gallo Images/Getty Images)</figcaption></figure>
Caribbean batsman, Dwayne Smith was another star cricketer to step down the pedestal of international cricket in 2017. His decision to bow out of the game came on March 1, 2017, and he announced it to the world before the start of the PSL Eliminator against Karachi Kings at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium. The 34-year-old feisty Barbados-born batsman has had a prolific career over the last decade.
Smith made his debut for the West Indies side back in early January 2004 in the Tests, followed by his ODI debut later that month. Over the years, he went on to emerge as the batting mainstay for his side in the shorter formats of the game. In addition to his fearless batting skills, Smith proved himself to be a more than useful part-time seam bowling option for his team.
He went on to feature heavily in limited-overs tournaments like the BPL and the IPL, playing for the Deccan Chargers, Mumbai Indians, <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/ipl-2018-5-cricketers-chennai-super-kings-should-retain/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Chennai Super Kings</a> and Gujarat Lions respectively in the latter tournament over the various seasons.
In his career span, Smith took part in 105 ODIs, and scored 1560 runs at a jaw-dropping strike-rate of 92.69 and also picked up 61 wickets at an average of 37.46, including a five-wicket haul while conceding just 45 runs. As for the shortest format of the game, he scored 582 runs with the best score of 72 and three half-centuries. Smith&#8217;s IPL career speaks volumes about his prowess as a player, as he has 2385 runs and 26 scalps to his name in just 91 games.
<h3>5. Younis Khan</h3>
<figure id="attachment_145831" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-145831" style="width: 640px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2017/05/Younis-Khan-2.jpg"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-145831" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/Younis-Khan-2.jpg" alt="Younis Khan" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-145831" class="wp-caption-text">Younis Khan. (Photo credit: MARK RALSTON/AFP/Getty Images)</figcaption></figure>
The Pakistan team of 2017 saw one retirement after the other, as the mighty Younis Khan chose to call it quits at the same time as his teammate, Misbah-ul-Haq. The 40-year-old holds some unparalleled records including the one for being the player with most number of Test runs for Pakistan. Khan retired from international cricket after the conclusion of the Test series against West Indies in May 2017.
The prolific Younis Khan has some big runs to sing odes to his talent and skill. He played 118 Tests for his national side, which saw him score 10,099 runs, including 34 centuries and 6 double tons. He also featured in 265 ODIs for Pakistan, where he scored 7249 runs, aided by 7 tons and 48 half-centuries. Khan also led Pakistan out on to the field several times, a role that he played on and off in his career. The gifted cricketer also possesses the record of having scored a Test century in all the 11 Test playing countries of his time- a milestone untouched till date.

When the amazing players whose journeys we've witnessed over the years, take the decision to hang up their boots, it makes us proud and yet, leaves us heartbroken at the same time.

The Best of 2017: 5 Top International cricketers who retired this year

2017 was a year drenched in the tears of pride and sorrow at bidding adieu to quite a few amazing cricketers. The 5 top International ricketers who retired