LONDON: Dawid Malan announced his retirement from international cricket on Wednesday, reflecting on his challenging England career and his pride in his achievements. Despite being England’s leading run-scorer during their recent World Cup campaign in India, Malan, who turns 37 next week, has decided to step away from the international arena.
Malan, who signed a 12-month central contract in October, has been criticized for his perceived lack of aggression in an era dominated by dynamic white-ball hitting. Yet, he is one of only two England players, alongside Jos Buttler, to have scored centuries in all three international formats: Tests, ODIs, and T20s.
A member of England’s 2022 T20 World Cup-winning squad, Malan has accepted that this is the right moment to end a seven-year international career that included 22 Tests and 92 white-ball internationals. “It has been an incredible journey since July 2017,” said Malan, who was born in England but raised in South Africa. He expressed gratitude for the opportunity to represent England in all three formats, acknowledging the inevitable regret many athletes feel upon retirement.
He emphasized the mental and physical toll of constantly proving himself and playing under pressure but expressed satisfaction with his overall career. Malan, who has scored 4,416 runs across all formats for England, signed a white-ball contract with Yorkshire earlier this year and is expected to participate in the global T20 franchise circuit.
England managing director Rob Key praised Malan’s resilience and determination, highlighting his pivotal role in England’s cricketing successes, particularly during the 2022 T20 World Cup in Australia.
