South Africa all-rounder Farhaan Behardien announces retirement from cricket

South Africa all-rounder Farhaan Behardien announced his official retirement from the sport on Tuesday in a post on his official Twitter account.

Behardien played 59 ODIs for the Proteas, in which he scored 1074 runs at an average of 30.69. He also played 38 T20Is and scored 518 runs. In the ODIs that he has played, the 39-year-old also picked up 14 wickets and in the T20Is he got three.

On a lengthy post on his official Twitter account, Behardien said that he was blessed to have played in four World Cups and thanked his family, friends and coaches for their support.

The all-rounder also thanked his team the Titans for giving him a chance to showcase his skills and the fans for their support. Behardien said that the decision to retire wasn't easy.

"The dust has settled a bit. Been pretty emotional the last couple of weeks. 18 years has come and gone. 560 pro games



across all formats, including 97 caps for my country, 17 trophies in the cabinet and blessed to have played in 4 world cups.

"Thanks to my family and friends who gave unwavering support. Thanks to all the coaches and support staff I’ve come across in my career, all my teammates, boy I’ve played with some of my heroes and some of the greats!

"Thanks specifically to the Titans (skyblues) for taking a punt on a young kid all those years ago & giving me a platform to showcase my skill. Thanks to the fans who supported me throughout the years and to those who gave me grief, whichever side of the fence you sat, it fueled my desire nonetheless. I lived my dreams.

"To be honest it wasn’t easy. The good stuff rarely are, but as a result haven’t “worked” a day in 18 years, cause it was my passion and I loved the graft. Feet up for a bit and onto the next challenge. Much love," said Behardien.