“Great of the Game” Hashim Amla Announces Retirement
Legendary South African batter Hashim Amla has declared he is to retire from all forms of cricket.
Amla, 39, signed for Surrey in 2019 and was an integral part of the side that won the LV= Insurance County Championship in 2022.
Amla, who also represented Surrey as an overseas player in 2013 and 2014, retired from international cricket in August 2019 having amassed 18,672 runs across all three formats for the Proteas after his debut in 2004.
The 39-year-old hit 9,282 runs and 28 hundreds in 124 Test matches, as well as 8,113 runs and 27 hundreds in 181 One-Day Internationals and 1,277 runs in 44 T20Is.
Amla became South Africa’s first triple-centurion during Day 4 of the Test Match between England and South Africa at The Kia Oval on July 22, 2012.
Since signing for Surrey in 2019, Amla has brought his invaluable experience to the Club and helped support Captain Rory Burns as part of the leadership group within the dressing room.
His skill, resilience and dogged determination with the bat was typified by an innings of 37 runs from 278 balls at the Ageas Bowl against Hampshire in 2021.
That defiant rearguard earnt Surrey an unlikely draw in the County Championship and was indicative of Amla’s commitment to doing what was necessary for the team at any given moment.
Hashim Amla said: “I have great memories of the Oval ground and to finally leave it as a player fills me with immense gratitude for what has been.
“A sincere thank you to Alec Stewart and the entire Surrey staff, players and Members for their support. The Surrey ship runs so professionally that it would make any international player feel a sense of honour just to be involved with.
“I wish them all the best and many more trophies.”
Alec Stewart, who has worked with Amla throughout his various spells in the Surrey side, described the South African as a “true professional and a great of the game”.
Stewart said: “Everyone at Surrey County Cricket Club will be sad to see Hashim retire, but we all applaud what has been a phenomenal career. He will quite rightly go down as a great of the game.
“Hashim is a fantastic cricketer and a wonderful person. He has been an incredible resource for the team to learn from on and off the field.
“As well as posting big scores at vital moments, he has also shown his willingness to dig in and do what is needed to get his team a result in tough games. I can’t thank him enough for what he has done for Surrey and hold him up as an example to all young players of what a true professional looks like.
“Everyone at Surrey wishes him the best in the future, and I am sure all our Members and supporters would like to thank him for his time here and congratulate him on such a decorated career.”
