Best of 2017: Nehraji and Pakistani legends- 11 cricketers who retired from the game this year

Cricket witnessed the rise of many new stars in 2017. However, many of the old guards bid adieu to the game also. Here's a look at the players who retired from cricket in the year 2017.

Ashish Nehra

19 years and 12 surgeries later- Nehraji finally bid farewell to the game. The left-arm fast bowler announced his retirement from all forms of cricket on October 11. Nehra was given a special farewell by BCCI giving him a chance to retire on his home ground Feroz Shah Kotla stadium in Delhi. He finished on a winning note as India won the T20 match. Nehra soon debuted in a new role, of a cricket commentator. 

Indian fans will remember Ashish Nehra most for his spell of 6 for 23 against England in the 2003 World Cup. It remains the best bowling figure for an Indian bowler in the history of World Cups. 

Here's a look at his career:

Test career – 17 matches, 44 wickets

ODI career – 120 matches, 157 wickets

T20I career – 27 matches, 34 wickets

Saeed Ajmal

Saeed Ajmal was considered by many to be the best leg-spinner of his generation. His career was full of controversies- his bowling action was banned by ICC in 2014 and then in 2015. He announced his retirement from all forms of cricket on November 13, 2017. He played his last match on November 29 and retired in the National T20 Cup semi-final. The off-spinner was a part of the T20 World Cup-winning squad in 2009. He was one of the most economical bowlers with an economy rate of 4.18 and 6.36 in ODIs and T20Is respectively.

Here's a look at his career:

Test career – 35 matches, 178 wickets

ODI career – 113 matches, 184 wickets

T20I career – 64 matches, 85 wickets

Shahid Afridi 

Shahid Afridi retired in 2017- he really did. Afridi is one of thoese players who have retired and came back many times. Afridi has announced his retirement from Test cricket in 2006, but then came back and played a Test in 2010 to retire again. He bid goodbye to ODI cricket in 2015. He continued to play T20I cricket and captained his side in Asia T20 Cup 2016 and T20 World Cup 2016.

The all-rounder retired from all forms of international cricket on February 20, 2017. There were inevitable stories of his comeback again- but this time it kind of seems permanent.  

Here's a look at his career:

Test career– 27 matches, 1716 runs, 100s- 5, 50s- 8, Average 36.51; 48 wickets

ODI career– 398 matches, 8,064 runs, 100s- 6, 50s – 39, Average- 23.57; 397 wickets

T20I career– 98 matches, 1,405 runs, 50s -4, Average 18.01; 97 wickets

Misbah-ul-Haq

It was big transformative year for Pakistan cricket. Misbah-ul-Haq, one of pillars of Pakistan cricket in recent times bid farewell to the game in 2017. Indians remember the former Pakistani skipper for the T20 World Cup 2007 last-ball scoop that gave India the win. He also will be remembered for not scoring a single hundred in his 162 ODIs. 

Misbah announced his retirement from international cricket on April 6, 2017. He played his last match on May 15, 2017 on a winning note with Pakistan winning the 3-test series against West Indies. 

Here's a look at his career:

Test career– 75 matches, 5,222 runs, 100s- 10, 50s- 39, Average 46.62

ODI career– 162 matches, 5,122 runs, 50s- 42, Average 43.40

T20I career– 39 matches, 788 runs, 50s-3, Average 37.52

Younis Khan

Another legendary Pakistan batsman retired this year. Younis Khan, one of Pakistan's most successful batsmen announced his retirement on the same time as Misbah. He also retired on May 15 after the Test series against West Indies.

In his 17-year-long international career, Younis achieved many milestones. He scored the most number of runs (10,099) and centuries (34) for Pakistan in Test cricket. He also led Pakistan to their maiden T20 World Cup win in 2009.

Here's a look at his career:

Test career– 118 matches, 10,099 runs, 100s- 34, 50s- 33, Average 52.12; 9 wickets

ODI career– 265 matches, 7,249 runs, 100s- 7, 50s- 48, Average 31.24; 3 wickets

T20I career– 25 matches, 442 runs, 50s- 2, Average 22.10; 3 wickets

Abdul Razzaq 

Yes you read it right- Abdul Razzaq was still playing cricket in 2017. One of the best all-rounders from Pakistan, he was geniune match-winner for his country. He had shifted base to England recent years and been playing in minnow cricket leagues. The 38-year-old announced his international retirement on June 2, 2017.  He was also a part of Pakistan’s T20 World Cup-winning team in 2009.

Here's a look at his career:

Test career –46 matches, 1,946 runs, 100s-3, 50s-7, Average 28.61; 100 wickets

ODI career – 265 matches, 5,080 runs, 100s- 3, 50s- 23; 269 wickets

T20I career – 32 matches, 393 runs, Average 20.68; 20 wickets

Kyle Abbott

South African pacer Kyle Abbott announced his retirement from international cricket in January. His retirement came as a shock and highlighted a growing drain of sporting talent from the country. The 30-year-old signed a Kolpak deal with England’s Hampshire cricket club. 

Abbott quit immediately after South Africa's victory over Sri Lanka in the second test in Cape Town, saying he had made the difficult decision to sign a four-year contract with Hampshire to ensure his financial security.

Here's a look at his career:

Test career – 11 matches, 95 runs; 39 wickets

ODI career – 28 matches, 76 runs, 34 wickets

T20I career – 21 matches, 23 runs, 26 wickets

Rilee Rossouw

The South African limited-overs specialist retired from international cricket the same day as Abbott. He also signed a Kolpak deal with England’s Hampshire cricket club. The left-handed batsman continues to play league cricket across the globe. Roussouw recently featured in the T10 league.

Here's a look at his career:

ODI career – 36 matches, 1,239 runs, 100s- 3, 50s- 7, Average- 38.71; 1 wicket

T20I career – 15 matches, 327 runs, 50s- 2, Average- 29.72

Dwayne Smith 

West Indies' Dwayne Smith is name well known to Indian fans for his heroics in the Indian Premier League. However, the batsman retired from international cricket after he was unable to make it to the national squad for 2 years, announcing his retirement on March 1, 2017. He is the 7th highest run-scorer in T20 cricket with 7,351 runs. 

Here's a look at his career:

Test career – 10 matches, 320 runs, 100s- 1, Average 24.61; 7 wickets

ODI career – 105 matches, 1,560 runs, 50s- 8, Average 18.57; 61 wickets

T20I career – 33 matches, 582 runs, 50s- 3, Average 18.18; 7 wickets

Michael Lumb

England's Michael Lumb was forced to retire from cricket due to an ankle injury. Lumb scored more than 11,000 runs in first-class cricket, however he never made it to national Test team. He played for England though in the shorter format of the game. 

ODI career – 3 matches, 165 runs, 100s- 1, Average 55

T20I career – 27 matches, 552 runs, 50s- 3, Average 21.23

John Hastings

John Hastings, considered one of the Australia's up and coming pacers, decided to call it a day in Test and ODI cricket. Hastings has been in and out of the side as Australia have a rich crop of fast bowlers ready to make their way into the team. He played only one Test and was preferred more in the shorter formats of the game.

Test career – 1 match, 52 runs, 1 wicket

ODI career – 29 matches, 271 runs, 50s- 1, Average 27.10; 42 wickets

T20I career – 9 matches, 46 runs, 7 wickets