'He has been an inspiration both on and off the field and given so much joy to millions of fans the world over.'
The International Cricket Council and the Board of Control for Cricket in India congratulated Yuvraj Singh for an outstanding career after the flamboyant cricketer announced his retirement from international cricket on Monday.
Yuvraj played pivotal roles in India winning the 2011 World Cup and the inaugural T20 World Cup in 2007.
"Yuvraj had an outstanding international career. He was one of those players who could raise his game in crunch situations and excelled at ICC events time after time. He has been an inspiration both on and off the field and given so much joy to millions of fans the world over," ICC Chief Executive Manu Sawhney said in a statement.
"I have no doubt that Yuvraj is a hero not just in the cricketing world but outside of it too. On behalf of the ICC, I congratulate Yuvraj for his superb career and wish him all the best for the future."
The former all-rounder was named player of the tournament at the 2011 World Cup as he scored a century and four fifties for an aggregate of 362 runs, besides grabbing 15 wickets. During the 2007 T20 World Cup in South Africa, he smashed six sixes in an over off England's Stuart Broad in a crucial league match.
BCCI wrote on its twitter page: "As @YUVSTRONG12 calls it quits on his glorious career, we rewind the clock and look at his most iconic cricket moments. Thank you for the memories Yuvi #TeamIndia #YuvrajSingh."
The 37-year-old was diagnosed with mediastinal seminoma, a germ-cell tumour located between his two lungs immediately after the 2011 World Cup, but made a return to international cricket and also established a cancer foundation.
The left-handed batsman last played international cricket in 2017 and has retired with 1,900 runs and nine wickets in 40 Test matches, 8,701 runs and 111 wickets in 304 ODIs, and 1,177 runs and 28 wickets in 58 T20Is.
He was named in ICC's ODI Team of the Year in 2006, 2009 and 2011, while his six sixes in an over won him the ICC T20I Performance of the Year award in 2008.
