England batter announces retirement from international cricket

WEB DESK: Dawid Malan, England cricketer and former World No.1 T20I batter on Wednesday announced retirement from international cricket at the age of 36.

Malan’s last appearance for England was at the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023, and he has not featured in international fixtures since then.

Over his career, Malan played a total of 114 matches across all formats, including 22 Tests, 30 ODIs, and 62 T20Is. He accumulated 4,416 runs at an average of 37.74, with eight centuries and 31 fifties to his name.

Malan first gained prominence with a remarkable 44-ball 78 on his T20I debut against South Africa in June 2017. His prowess in T20 cricket was evident, and he became a standout performer in this format.

In September 2020, Malan reached the pinnacle of Test batting rankings, becoming the fastest men’s player to score 1,000 runs in Test cricket, achieving this milestone in just 24 innings.

He also set a record with a peak rating of 915 in the ICC T20I Player Rankings for batting, the highest ever recorded.

A key player in England’s T20 World Cup-winning team in 2022, Malan was unfortunately sidelined during the knockout stages due to a groin injury sustained against Sri Lanka in the group stage.

Malan also made significant contributions in ODIs. Entering the 2023 World Cup in excellent form, he scored five centuries in just 15 innings between June 2022 and September 2023, earning him a spot as an opener.

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His performance included a century (140 off 107 balls) in England’s second match of the tournament against Bangladesh, leading his team to victory.

Despite his efforts, England’s campaign was disappointing, as they failed to defend their title and were eliminated in the group stages. Throughout the tournament, Malan was a shining light, finishing as the team’s top run-scorer with 404 runs, including one century and two fifties.