Kiwi legend Brendon McCullum bids adieu to the game 

Brendon McCullum, New Zealand's legendary cricketer announced his retirement from all forms of the sport after the conclusion of the Global T20 Canada 2019.

The former New Zealand captain was expected to feature in the Euro T20 Slam but has pulled out of the competition, thanking the organizers for their support and understanding.

"As much as I am proud of what I've achieved in my 20-year professional career - more than I ever could have dreamed of when I first entered the game - I have felt the drive to keep going harder to maintain in recent months," he said in a statement posted on Twitter.

It’s been real... pic.twitter.com/sdCqLZTDz6

— Brendon McCullum (@Bazmccullum) August 5, 2019

Pioneering an attacking style of cricket, McCullum will always be remembered for bringing a fresh exuberance to the way the game was approached. The explosive stroke-maker firmly believed in the theory of counter-attack, dominating the opposition from the onset.

“I look back with pride over the way I’ve played the game and what I’ve achieved.”

With New Zealand, we broke boundaries and established a style of play that earned us respect across the world. In T20 cricket, I’ve enjoyed so many varied challenges, I can leave the game knowing I left no stone unturned,” McCullum added.

.@Bazmccullum, your contribution to NZ cricket has been terrific. There was a fine balance between your fearless approach and focus on technique. The brand of cricket you encouraged your team to play was always entertaining. pic.twitter.com/xeopYJ95JD

— Sachin Tendulkar (@sachin_rt) August 6, 2019

The swashbuckler boasts of a decorated T20I career, having scored over 2000 runs in 71 matches including two magnificent centuries. Blazing a destructive 156 in the opening game of the inaugural edition of the Indian Premier League and smashing the fastest-ever Test hundred in his final appearance in whites will go down in history as prominent highlights of his career.

Apart from being an accomplished batsman, McCullum was renowned for his extra-ordinary fielding prowess. From plunging acrobatic catches on the boundary rope and defying gravity to pull off jaw-dropping efforts to save an extra run, he was undoubtedly one of the best fielders the cricketing fraternity has ever witnessed.