Simon Katich Retires From All Forms of Cricket

Simon Katich has retired from all forms of cricket. On Saturday, the former Australian opening batsman announced his retirement from T20 cricket, the only format he kept playing after quitting first-class cricket for Australia in June 2012.

Katich played 56 Test and 45 ODIs between 2001 and 2010 and was an important part of the Australian Test side. He fell foul with skipper Michael Clarke after the 2010-11 Ashes series, lost his Cricket Australia contract and thus ruined his Test career forever.

However, Katich continued to play County cricket till 2013 and captained Perth Scorchers to the Big Bash League title last season. His retirement means the left-handed batsman, who had a strike-rate of almost 127 in 118 T20s, won't be seen in action in the upcoming Champions League T20. Katich had played for Kings XI Punjab in 2008 and 2009.

"It's always difficult when it comes to making these sorts of decisions," Katich said. "I've obviously been in a similar situation when I made the decision to retire from first-class cricket in Australia a few years ago. Having been through that before, it helped me understand the process a bit better and the more I thought about it, I felt the time was right.

"I have a young family, I've had a great run and for my last game at the WACA, my home ground, to finish with a win in a successful (BBL) campaign, it's the stuff you dream of. I'll finish on a high and that was a big part of the reason I decided to pull up stumps."