Shoaib Malik folds his decade-long PSL career

Our Web Desk
LAHORE: Pakistan cricket great Shoaib Malik, one of the most superb figures in the Pakistan Super League (PSL), has announced his retirement from the country’s marquee Twenty20 franchise competition, drawing the curtain on a 10-year playing career ahead of the eleventh edition of the league which will begin in March.
In a message posted on social media platform X (formerly Twitter) on Tuesday the 43-year-old all-rounder said he had “cherished every single moment and friendship” forged during his decade-long stint in the PSL, which began with the league’s inaugural season in 2016.
“It’s time to call it a day,” he wrote while affirming that his passion and motivation to serve the game of cricket will always stay.
Malik, a former Pakistan captain and one of his nation’s most experienced cricketers, featured in 93 PSL matches, scoring 2,350 runs at an average of 33.09 and a strike rate of 127.78, with 15 half-centuries.
Over his PSL career, Malik represented several franchises, including Karachi Kings, Multan Sultans, Peshawar Zalmi and Quetta Gladiators, becoming one of the league’s most consistent middle-order batters and a respected senior presence in dressing rooms.
The decision comes just weeks before PSL Season 11, which is set to introduce new elements and expanded competition following the addition of new teams earlier this month.
Malik’s retirement marks the end of an era in Pakistan’s domestic T20 scene. A veteran of more than two decades in professional cricket, he has already retired from international formats stepping away from international cricket years earlier and last year relinquished his role as a domestic cricket mentor, saying he wanted to ensure fairness and focus on personal and professional responsibilities.
Despite announcing his retirement from PSL play, Malik suggested he intends to remain involved in the sport and contribute to its development off the field.
Malik’s longevity in the fast-paced T20 format, particularly at an age when most players have retired fully from competitive cricket, underscores his fitness and adaptability. His role in nurturing younger talent and steady performances in high-pressure matches helped shape the identity and growth of the PSL over the past decade.