Hashim Amla, one of South Africa's most celebrated batsmen, has announced his retirement from all forms of cricket, after informing Surrey that he will not be returning to help defend the County Championship title that the club won in his final season as a player in 2022. Amla's illustrious career has seen him become one of the most decorated cricketers in South African history, with a plethora of awards and accolades to his name. His retirement marks the end of an era for South African cricket, and his legacy will live on for many years to come.
Over the course of a two-decade career, Amla, 39, has amassed an impressive 34,104 runs across all professional formats, with 9,282 of those runs coming from his 124 Test appearances between 2004 and 2019 - second only to Jacques Kallis for South Africa. His impressive Test record includes 28 centuries, with a career-best of 311 not out against England at the Kia Oval in 2012 - a feat that also marked South Africa's first-ever triple-century in Tests.
He scored an additional 8,113 runs, including 27 centuries, in 181 One Day Internationals (ODIs), and 1,277 runs in 44 Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is). He has already embarked on a coaching career, with a stint as the Mumbai Indians Cape Town's batting coach in the ongoing South African T20 League. It is understood that he could be in contention to become South Africa's batting coach, under the nation's new coaching structure.
"I have great memories of the Oval ground and to finally leave it as a player fills me with immense gratitude for what has been," Amla said.
"A sincere thank you to Alec Stewart and the entire Surrey staff, players and Members for their support. The Surrey ship runs so professionally that it would make any international player feel a sense of honour just to be involved with.
"I wish them all the best and many more trophies."
Amla retired from international cricket at the conclusion of South Africa's World Cup campaign in 2019, having gracefully bowed out of Test cricket against Sri Lanka at Port Elizabeth in February of that year.
He rejoined Surrey later that year, having also represented the county as an overseas player in 2013 and 2014, as well as stints with Derbyshire, Hampshire, Nottinghamshire, and Essex. Additionally, he represented Kings XI Punjab in the Indian Premier League, as well as Kwa-Zulu Natal Dolphins and Cape Cobras in South Africa's domestic competitions. His impressive career has seen him traverse the globe, playing for some of the most prestigious teams in the world.
Even in the twilight of his career, Amla's impact was unmistakable in his final two seasons at Surrey, where he contributed five more centuries, including a career-best 215 not out against Hampshire in 2021, and provided invaluable support to captain Rory Burns as a veteran leader in the dressing room.
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