Shoaib Akhtar to announce shock retirement?

Sad news for Akhtar fans. Speculation had been rife that Rawalpindi Express will announce his retirement from sports, at age 50, with immediate effect.

UPDATE 17/04/2026 : This story seems to be false. (read more)

Being an athlete isn't fun anymore

“As we get older, there are phases of life that we enter into, and being an athlete just isn't fun anymore,” he might have said, says a source who remained anonymous. Other reports hinted that he may branch out into other creative fields he is better at (and more interested in), though they didn't provide any details.

#ThankYouShoaib

For a little while on Thursday evening, #ThankYouShoaib was a trending hashtag on Twitter. As many fans reminisce and look back on all the unforgettable memories, some may wonder what about now made him make the decision.

“You’ve accomplished everything I ever dreamed of #ThankYouShoaib.”
— @DesireePlum, 16 Apr 2026

“Didn't Shoaib Akhtar retire about 3 years ago?”
— @samy2love, 16 Apr 2026

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