ENG vs AUS: David Willey Announces Retirement From International Cricket In The Middle Of World Cup Campaign
Published - 01 Nov 2023, 03:04 PM | Updated - 23 Aug 2024, 10:04 AM
England fast bowler David Willey, on Wednesday (November 1), announced his retirement from international cricket in the middle of the ongoing World Cup campaign. The announcement comes just days after the ECB decided against giving him a central contract for the 2023-24 cycle.
The left-arm pacer’s performance in the ongoing World Cup has been one of the very few positives in an otherwise disastrous campaign for the reigning champions. After being ignored for the first three games, he was recalled into the playing eleven for the next three games. In those three games, the 33-year-old picked up five wickets at 27.20 in addition to scoring 42 runs.
In his last outing, he picked up 3 wickets against India including the huge wicket of Virat Kohli, and scored an unbeaten 16 although England lost the game by 100 runs. But he has now decided to bring down the curtains on his international career. According to ECB’s managing director of men’s cricket Rob Key, David Willey ‘wasn’t best pleased’ after finding out that he was the only member of the 15-man World Cup squad not to be awarded even a one-year contract.
David Willey announces retirement:
David Willey took to his social media accounts to announce the decision of his retirement from international cricket. The England star stated that he would end his international career ‘with great regret’ at the end of the World Cup.
“I never wanted this day to come. From a young boy, I’ve only ever dreamed of playing cricket for England. So, with careful thought and consideration, it is with great regret that I feel the time has come for me to retire from all forms of international cricket at the end of the World Cup.
“I feel I still have a lot more to give on and off the field while I am still playing my best cricket, and my decision has nothing to do with our performance during the World Cup,” wrote David Willey.
“I am sure everybody who knows me does not doubt that, whatever my involvement in the remainder of this campaign, I will give everything and more! That’s the only way I know,” he added.
— David Willey (@david_willey) November 1, 2023
He made his debut for England in 2015 and has played 70 ODIs and 43 T20Is so far. He was in contention to play in the 2019 World Cup but missed out due to the inclusion of Jofra Archer who went on to finish the competition as England’s highest wicket-taker.
