New Delhi: The World Cup-winning captain and England’s cricketer Eoin Morgan has announced his retirement from the International cricket. The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) confirmed the same on Tuesday. The left-handed batsman was facing fitness as well as form issues over the past year. Moreover, on Monday, several British media reported that Morgan would be announcing his retirement shortly.
“After careful deliberation and consideration, I am here to announce my retirement from international cricket with immediate effect. To call time on what has been without doubt the most enjoyable and rewarding chapter of my career hasn’t been an easy decision, but I believe now is the right time to do so, both for me, personally, and for both England white-ball sides I have led to this point,” Morgan said in a release issued by England and Wales Cricket Board.
The release further stated, “The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) can confirm that England Men’s white-ball Captain Eoin Morgan has retired from international cricket with immediate effect. During his 13-year international career with England, the 35-year-old won the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup as Captain in 2019 at Lord’s, the first time England Men had won the world crown. He was also part of the England team that won the 2010 ICC Men’s T20 Cricket World Cup in the Caribbean.”
You’ve changed English cricket forever.
An innovator ? A motivator ? A champion ?
Your legacy will live on…#ThankYouMorgs ❤️ pic.twitter.com/a32SSvCDXI
— England Cricket (@englandcricket) June 28, 2022
It added, “Morgan is the all-time leading run-scorer and most-capped player for England Men in both ODI and T20I matches.”
“During his seven-year tenure as Men’s ODI captain, he guided England to number one in the ICC world rankings, including notable series victories against all the major nations,” the ECB release stated.
Morgan is considered to bring major changes in how England played their white-ball cricket. Besides, his captaincy is more than praiseworthy as England saw victory in the 50-over World Cup in 2019, and also in 2016, the team made it to the T20 World Cup finals.
Under his leadership, the team reached the semi-finals of the 2017 Champions Trophy and the T20 World Cup in 2021.
The 35-year-old cricketer made his ODI debut playing first for Ireland in 2006, while his T20 debut came after four years in late 2009 when he played for England.
Morgan started his international cricket journey with Ireland and has played 225 ODIs and 115 T20Is for England, which is a record for the Three Lions. To date, he has scored 7,701 runs in 248 ODIs at an average of 39.29 with 14 centuries and 47 fifties. He has also scored 2,458 runs in 115 T20Is.
However, Morgan’s scores in Test matches are not satisfactory. He was sidelined after scoring 700 runs in 16 Tests at an average of 30.43.
The batsman was facing poor form and fitness issues and was recently opted out of the final ODI against the Netherlands due to injury.
