NEWS
Follow Us39-year-old South African batter Farhaan Behardien has called time on his professional career on December 27 (Tuesday) after a career that spanned over 18 years. Behardien had last represented South Africa back in November 2018 in a T20I against Australia but continued to play domestic cricket till this season.
“The dust has settled a bit. Been pretty emotional the last couple of weeks. 18 years have come and gone. 560 Pro games across all formats, including 97 caps for my country, 17 Trophies in the cabinet and blessed to have played four World Cups,” Behardien wrote in his farewell note, shared on Twitter.
Even though Behardien started as a lower-order batter and a better bowler during his first-class and List A debuts in October 2004, with time, he didn’t bowl as much and became a very good batter in domestic cricket. After averaging 45.66 in the CSA provincial one-day competition and 66.50 in the T20 version during the 2011-12 season, he became the South African T20 player of the year and subsequently, made it to the national side as well.
"Thanks to my family and friends who gave unwavering support. Thanks to all the coaches and support staff I've come across in my career, all my teammates, boy I've played with some of my heroes and some of the greats," he added in his note.
"Thanks specifically to Titans(Skyblues) for taking a punt in a young kid all those years ago and giving me a platform to showcase my skill. Thanks to the fans who supported me throughout the years and to those who gave me grief, whichever side you sat, it fuelled me nonetheles. I lived my dreams."
However, his international outing always remained a piece of mystery. After making his debut in a T20 game against India in Johannesburg in March, Behardien failed to make a strong case for himself but showed a burst of successes here and there to stay relevant in South African cricket. He was part of Kings XI Punjab in the IPL and also turned out for Edmonton Royals in the 2018 Global T20 Canada league.
