The game has seen many superstars over the years. They have left a huge impact on the game. There have been many names who brought the audience to the sport. These cricketers made people sit up and take notice. But as the adage of the game goes, there is nobody bigger than the sport.
The game treats everyone equally. No matter how big a cricketer, the game carries on even if it means looking beyond the cricketer. These cricketers though deserved a farewell game at least.
We look at a few such legendary cricketers who deserved a farewell game:
#6 Zaheer Khan
MS Dhoni had called Zaheer Khan the Sachin Tendulkar of bowling. Khan went through a career transformation playing county cricket. He came back a changed bowler winning games on his own. Khan was the main reason behind India’s Test series win in England.
He was the joint-highest wicket-taker in the 2011 World Cup. Khan used reverse swing to great effect across formats. But he ended his career without realising he had played his last game.
#5 Hashim Amla
He was one of the finest South African batsmen. Hashim Amla was the epitome of consistency during his peak. He was an effortless run-maker in both Tests and ODIs. Amla played 124 Tests and 181 ODIs. But a farewell game eluded him.
#4 Shivnarine Chanderpaul
He was one batsman who forever remained in the shadows of Brian Lara. Shivnarine Chanderpaul served West Indies cricket selflessly. He played 164 Tests scoring 11,867 runs comprising 30 centuries. Chanderpaul represented the Windies in 268 ODIs scoring 11 centuries. But after such a long career, the veteran failed to get a farewell game.
#3 Virender Sehwag
He was one Indian batsman who redefined Test cricket. Virender Sehwag struck at more than 80 in Tests. It was Sehwag who set games up for India across conditions. A veteran of 104 Tests, Sehwag last played a Test in 2013. He smashed 23 Test centuries and once held the record for the highest ODI score in an innings. His drop in form coincided with the rise of Murali Vijay and Shikhar Dhawan.
#2 Yuvraj Singh
He is one of the absolute greats of the limited-overs game. Yuvraj Singh was India’s biggest match-winner right since he made his debut in 2000. He has played key roles in India’s memorable triumphs.
Yuvraj was the unofficial player of the tournament in the T20 World Cup 2007. It was his six sixes that eventually paved the way for the IPL. Singh won the player of the World Cup award in 2011. But for all his resounding feats, the legend never got a farewell game.
#1 Wasim Akram
Arguably the greatest left-arm seamer of all time, Wasim Akram was a sight to behold in full flow. He broke open the World Cup final in 1992 with his reverse swing. It remains one of the most iconic World Cup moments. Akram finished with 502 Test wickets and 414 ODI wickets. But sadly the champion couldn’t get a farewell game.
