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Kings XI Punjab and former Mumbai batsman Paul Valthathi has announced his retirement from first-class cricket. The batsman came into limelight in 2011 when he smashed 120 for Punjab Frankies against Chennai Super Kings (CSK) during the fourth season of IPL.
The 39-year-old Valthathati announced his retirement from the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) on Monday.
“I have been very fortunate and proud to have represented many teams in my career from India Blue in the Challenge Cup, India U19 Team, Mumbai Boys Team and all age group teams. I would like to take this opportunity to thank BCCI and MCA who have always been supportive of me and many other cricketers gay.
“I would also like to thank the IPL and the two teams Rajasthan Royals and Punjab Kings whom I had the good fortune to represent and who was the first player from Mumbai and the fourth Indian to score a century in the Indian Premier League,” Valthathi wrote in his book. Mail has been sent to MCA.
Valthaty had a great inaugural season for Punjab in the IPL but his tenure in the IPL came to an end in 2013 as the IPL teams preferred younger faces in the squad. The 39-year-old now wants to contribute to the development of the game and mentor budding cricketers.
In 2011, when Valthatti made that IPL hundredth, little was known about his partial loss of vision, which he suffered during the 2002 Under-19 World Cup in New Zealand. A short charge from the Bangladesh player hit the eye of the ball for the fresh ball on the wicket. He came home with an eye patch.
“The ball bounced off unexpectedly and hit me right in the eye,” Paul told this newspaper after the IPL Hundred. “It took me at least two years to adjust and get back to my best self.”
Paul then turned to Nari Contractor, who had faced similar trauma after being hit on the head by a ball during the 1962 tour to the West Indies. With words of encouragement and advice from the contractor, Valthathy bounced back.
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