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All-rounder Abdul Razzaq announced his retirement from international cricket on Monday, saying he had taken his decision in protest at his omission from the Pakistan national team.

“I have taken this decision under protest because I am mentally disturbed over the treatment meted out by the selectors who dropped me like a new player,” Razzaq told a private television channel from London. “I will see the response of the selectors and the Pakistan Cricket Board before reviewing my decision because this is taken under protest,” he added.

Razzaq, who was in England to sign a short contract with Worcestershire county on Monday, was dropped from Pakistan’s 15-man squad for next month’s inaugural Twenty20 World Cup in South Africa. The selectors said Razzaq and senior batsman Mohammad Yousuf would be rested — a reason Razzaq said he believed was a pretext for him being dropped from the side.

“I was hurt when they dropped me, and on form and fitness and on my record as an international player, I deserved the benefit” of being treated as a senior player, said Razzaq. Razzaq missed the World Cup in the Caribbean earlier this year because of a knee injury.

He has scored 1,146 runs and took 100 wickets in 46 Tests. He made 4,465 runs and took 240 wickets in 231 One-day Internationals (ODIs) in a career, which began in 1995. Razzaq’s lacklustre performance in his last 15 One-day Internationals (ODIs) — scoring just 173 at 10.73 with 12 wickets at 39 runs each — led to his axing from the team.

Chief selector Salahuddin Ahmed dismissed suggestions that Razzaq had been elbowed out of international cricket. “There was no victimisation. The team for the Twenty20 World Cup was picked purely on merit and the best players were selected,” said Ahmed. “Razzaq’s omission does not mean an end to his international career and we hope he would reconsider his decision,” he added.

Razzaq, who is among eight Pakistani players offered lucrative contracts by a breakaway Indian league, said his decision was not linked to rebel cricket. “I have not signed any deal with the Indian league but if I get the same treatment from my own people, I might be forced to join the league, but my decision to retire has nothing to do with the Indian league,” he said.

Razzaq, who also did not sign a central contract with the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), said he had received no word from the sport’s governing body since he was dropped. “No official from the PCB has contacted me. I am still waiting for any official to talk to me but no one has yet bothered,” he said.

Worcestershire signed Razzaq as a replacement overseas player for the remainder of the 2007 season following the return of Phil Jaques and Doug Bollinger to Australia for their ‘A’ team tour of Pakistan. Razzaq arrived in Worcester on Sunday and was to join the squad for training on Monday before the team travel to Canterbury for the county championship match against Kent, which starts on Tuesday (today). The all-rounder previously played English county cricket for Middlesex in 2002 and 2003.
Source:Cricket News