2007 World Cup hero Joginder Sharma announces retirement from all forms of cricket

The former all-rounder also shared a heartfelt message for his family and friends who supported him through thick and thin.

Bhiwani (Haryana): India's 2007 T20 World Cup winner Joginder Sharma announced his retirement from all forms of international and domestic cricket on Friday. In a letter addressed to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) secretary, the cricketer turned police officer expressed his gratitude to the board, Haryana Cricket Association, Chennai Super Kings and the Haryana Government for the opportunities provided to him.

"Today, with immense gratitude & humility, I announce my retirement from all forms of international & domestic cricket. My journey from 2002-2017 has been the most wonderful years of my life, for it was an honour to represent India at the highest level of the sport. I am grateful for the opportunities given to me by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), Haryana Cricket Association, Chennai Super Kings and the Haryana Government," Joginder said.

Sharing a message for his fans coaches and former teammates, he said, "To all my teammates, coaches, mentors and support staff; It has been an absolute privilege to have played with you all, and, I thank you all for helping tum my dream into reality. To all cricket fans that have supported me through the ups & downs of international sport, I will forever cherish the moments I spent with you all and your support has always be a source of motivation for me."

The former all-rounder also shared a heartfelt message for his family and friends who supported him through thick and thin. "Lastly, I would like to thank my family & friends for their unconditional love and support throughout my career. They have been my backbones and without them, I would not have been able to achieve what I have today," mentioned the World Cup-winning player.

Joginder made four appearances for India in both T20Is and ODIs. The right-arm bowler is remembered by the fans for his famous last over against Pakistan in the 2007 T20I World Cup win, where he defended 13 runs in the final over despite concerning seven runs in the first two balls. Joginder Sharma has only appeared in 16 games in the Indian Premier League.

He played for the Chennai Super Kings, for whom he scored 36 runs and claimed 12 wickets. His economy rate of 9.82 did not help him keep his spot on the team, as he went unsold in 2016 and 2017. He also bowled the last over against Australia in the semifinals where he conceded just 7 runs and took 2 wickets. The player currently is posted in the Haryana Police as the Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP). (ANI)