LONDON: Batsman Dawid Malan announced his retirement from international cricket on Wednesday, stating that his time playing for England “has not been easy.”
In the weeks that followed, Malan, who had inked a 12-month central contract in October, led England in runs scored during their disastrous 50-over World Cup championship defense in India.
However, since that championship event, the left-hander, who turns 37 next week, has not appeared for England.
However, he was constantly criticized for not being more aggressive in the crease during a period of explosive white-ball hitting.
However, Malan and Jos Buttler are the only two English batsmen to have hundreds in each of the three international formats: Tests, ODIs, and T20s.
Malan, who played in England’s winning team for the 2022 T20 World Cup, has acknowledged that it’s time to end his seven-year career as an international player, having played 92 white-ball matches and 22 Test matches.
Malan, who was raised and educated in South Africa despite being born in England, remarked, “It has been an incredible journey since July 2017.” “I am incredibly appreciative that I was able to represent England in all three formats.
Like other sports, cricket is one of those professions where nearly everyone eventually departs wishing they had accomplished just a little bit more.
“Many people leave Test cricket feeling that they could have played one more, scored a few more runs, or won more trophies. This is true whether they have played 10 or 100 Tests.
“As I announce my retirement from international cricket, I can honestly say that I’m happy right now.”
“It has not been easy,” he continued. For some reason, maybe because of my nature, I’ve always felt like I had something to prove and that I was playing for a position.
Although it comes with the job, pressure does have a physical and psychological cost. Nevertheless, I am proud of what I have accomplished when I reflect on the past.
After agreeing to a white-ball-only contract with English county Yorkshire earlier this year, Malan—who scored 4,416 runs for England in all formats—may now primarily focus on the T20 franchise circuit worldwide.
Rob Key, managing director of England, praised Malan for his “pivotal” contributions.
Key stated, “Dawid Malan retires after an outstanding international career characterized by resiliency and determination.”
“Early on, he had to fight for every opportunity, often facing some of the best teams in the world,” the former England batsman continued. His contributions were crucial, especially in the run-up to the World Cup in Australia, when he was a key member of the winning team.
