Hours after announcing retirement from all forms of cricket, pacer Irfan Pathan on Saturday said that he is thankful for whatever he achieved in the career as the journey has been satisfying for him.
Speaking to ANI hours after making the retirement news public, Pathan termed the 2007 T-20 World Cup win as the "highlight of his career" and said that "getting the India cap was a very big moment for me".
"My journey has been satisfying. I am very thankful for what I have achieved. I got enough number of wickets as a left-arm pacer. Everyone wants to go away with much more, but I felt it was time to call time on my career. I was always ready to perform for my time and to do everything that the side was asking from me," Pathan said.
"Getting the India cap was a very big moment for me. For fans, my hat-trick against Pakistan has always been memorable. Winning the World Cup is the biggest achievement, everyone dreams about that, so it was very special for me," he added.
The pacer said that he will continue to be associated with cricket, and will try to promote the sport wherever he goes.
"People call me an all-rounder. I want to do a lot for the game, I will always be associated with cricket. I am also doing a movie in the south," he added.
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The 35-year-old had played a clinical role in the final of the inaugural edition of the T20 World Cup against Pakistan in 2007. He picked up three wickets and returned with the figures of 3-16 in his four overs and was named as the player of the match.
He is one of the three bowlers to have claimed a Test hat-trick for India and the first in the world to claim it in the first over of the match.
The swanky left-arm pacer featured in 29 Tests, 120 ODIs, and 24 T20Is for India, bagging 301 wickets across all formats. He also managed to score 2,821 runs studded with a single hundred and 11 half-centuries.
He last played a match for India in 2012 against Sri Lanka. Pathan is currently performing the role of mentor-cum-coach for the Jammu and Kashmir cricket team.
"Whatever I am doing for Jammu and Kashmir Ranji team, I am doing as a mentor. Baroda has given a number of cricketers like Pandya brothers. There is a lot of talent in Baroda, mentoring is just not on the field, it is also off the field. When you have played, you can tell others to what not to do on the cricket pitch," Pathan said.
"Players from Jammu and Kashmir have been selected for the IPL. I always try to give my opinion to the budding cricketers. When you meet a budding cricketer, who does not have many resources and then he goes on to perform for the country, it gives immense satisfaction," he added.