Batsman Yuvraj Singh has retired from international and Indian Premier League cricket.

Singh played 40 Tests, 304 ODIs and 58 T20Is between 2000 and 2017. The talented left-hander struck England seamer Stuart Broad for six successive sixes during a World Twenty20 fixture at Kingsmead in Durban in 2007.

He also represented six franchises in the IPL – the Delhi Daredevils, Kings XI Punjab, Mumbai Indians, Pune Warriors, Royal Challengers Bangalore and Sunrisers Hyderabad.

‘After 25 years, in and around 22 yards, and after almost 17 years of international cricket on and off, I have decided to move on. I am extremely lucky to play 400-plus games for India. I would never have imagined this when I started my career as a cricketer,’ said Yuvraj.

‘It was a love-hate relationship with the sport, in retrospect. I don’t think I hated the game, because the love I have for it today, which will remain a constant till the end of my life. I can’t really express in words what that feeling is.’

The all-rounder struck four half-tons and one century – and took 15 wickets – en route to the Player of the Tournament award at the 2011 World Cup. He was diagnosed with mediastinal seminoma – a germ-cell tumour located between the lungs – the following year.

‘This game taught me how to fight, how to fall, to dust myself off and get up again and move forward. I have failed more times than I have succeeded, but I never gave up, and will never give up, till my last breath, and that’s what cricket has taught me. I gave my blood and sweat to the game once I got on to it, especially when it came to representing my country,’ he added.

‘The adrenaline rush, playing for India, singing the national anthem before each game, touching the Indian flag, stopping every run for the team, or scoring every run for the team, was a completely different high. To be part of history that was made after 28 years in 2011, I mean, honestly, what more could I ask for?’

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