Brendon McCullum on Monday announced his retirement from all forms of cricket. The former New Zealand star would be retiring from all forms of cricket after the conclusion of the ongoing Global T20 Canada in which he is representing Toronto Nationals.
McCullum had previously bid adieu to international cricket on February 24, 2016.
The 37-year-old announced his retirement on Twitter and posted a statement, saying "It's been real".
During his career McCullum played some memorable innings. However, one innings will particularly be etched forever in the minds of the Indian fans. It was also the innings that kick-started one of the biggest sporting extravaganzas of all time- the Indian Premier League.
It was McCullum who gave Indian Premier League the most explosive start possible. It was the very first match of the Indian Premier League. McCullum was part of the Kolkata Knight Riders then and he played against Royal Challengers Bangalore- the last team he played for in IPL.
McCullum blasted an unbeaten 158 from a mere 73 deliveries, the highest score in a Twenty20 match then, to propel Kolkata Knight Riders to an imposing 222 for 3.
McCullum's stunning knock remains etched in the memory of every IPL fan forever.
Interestingly, he failed to score a single run off the first six balls into his innings. He then raced to 18 off the next four balls.
McCullum finished with a strike rate of more than two runs per ball. He hit 13 sixes in that innings.
McCullum gave the IPL a dream start. People had tuned in to watch a new experiment, something cricket fans had never seen- a T20 league comprising of the best of the best. They didn't know what to expect. McCullum showed them what was possible. The IPL extravaganza has well and truly begun.
.
