India's 2011 World Cup hero Yuvraj Singh announces retirement from international cricket on Monday (10 June). He called for a press conference at a South Mumbai Hotel and made his decision public.
Yuvraj at the conference said, "After 25 years, I have decided to move on. Cricket has given me everything and is the reason why I stand here today," the 37-year-old Yuvraj said addressing the media here.
"I was extremely lucky to play 400 games for India. I could have never imagined it when I first started playing cricket," he added.
He thanked his idol Sachin Tendulkar who has always been a great source of support for the cricketer. He shared some memories from the ICC World Cup 2011 which India won, riding on his stupendous performance throughout the tournament.
Yuvraj also shared his post-retirement plan of helping cancer patients and spreading awareness about the disease.
"I was not going to let that disease defeat me," he said.
The batsman last played for India in limited overs in 2017 and only played four games in this year’s Indian Premier League for Mumbai Indians.
"It was a love-hate relationship with this game. I can't explain what it really means to me. This game taught me to fight. I have failed more times than I succeeded and I will never give up," he said.
After the World Cup, Yuvraj battled with cancer throughout the tournament. He went overseas for treatment and just when everyone thought he would never again hold the bat, Yuvraj went away to France for a training stint. Back in India much slimmer and fitter, Yuvraj Singh showed what he was still capable of with a 35-ball 77 in a T20 International against Australia.
A senior BCCI official had told PTI that Yuvraj was thinking of calling it quits from international and first-class cricket.
"He would like to speak to the BCCI and get more clarity on plying his trade in tournaments like GT20 (Canada), Euro T20 Slam in Ireland and Holland as he has offers," a BCCI source privy to the development had said.
