In a bid to prolong his Test career, Australia skipper Michael Clarke has announced that he will be retiring from one-day international cricket after Sunday's World Cup final against New Zealand in Melbourne.
Clarke, a veteran of 244 one-day internationals, was part of Australia's 2007 World Cup win over Sri Lanka in Barbados.
Clarke said that he just wanted everyone to know that tomorrow would be his last ODI game for Australia, adding that he was hopeful it would prolong his Test career as well, News.com.au reported.
The veteran skipper admitted it was not realistic that he would be fit, healthy and available to play in the next World Cup (in 2019).
Clarke has long suffered a back condition and in recent months battled a succession of hamstring injuries, with even facing a deadline to be fit for the World Cup. Clarke believes that he would leave the one-day game for the Australian team in a better place than when he took over the captaincy.