England's One Day Internationals (ODI) World Cup-winning skipper Eoin Morgan has finally decided to call time on his career. The 36-year-old left-handed batter announced his retirement from all forms of cricket. Morgan who will always be remembered for how he transformed England's white-ball cricket has enjoyed a career which is decorated with short-form success. The former England skipper bowed out of the international game last year in June. Morgan led England to their maiden ODI World Cup title and also to the top of the T20 rankings.
Morgan has captained England in 126 ODIs and 72 T20s, registering 118 wins as skipper across the two formats. The English skipper has enjoyed a lot of success in franchise cricket globally and he also led the IPL franchise Kolkata Knight Riders to the finals in the year 2021. Morgan took to his Twitter handle and announced his decision.
Morgan's note reads:
It is with great pride that I am announcing my retirement from all forms of cricket. After much deliberation, I believe that now is the right time to step away from the game that has given me so much over the years. From moving to England in 2005 to join Middlesex, right up to the very end, playing for Paarl Royals in SA20, I have cherished every moment.
As there are in every sportsperson's career, there have been many highs and lows, but my family and friends have been by my side throughout it all. I would like to say a particularly special thank you to my wife, Tara, my family, and close friends who have supported me unconditionally. I also must thank all my teammates, coaches, fans, and those behind the scenes who not only made me the player I became but have also made me the man I am today. Thanks to cricket, I have been able to travel the world and meet incredible people, many of whom I have developed lifelong friendships with. Playing for franchise teams across the globe has given me so many memories that I will hold onto forever.
Since my retirement from international cricket, I have been able to spend more time with my loved ones, and I look forward to being able to do so more and more in the future. Having said that, I will undoubtedly miss the adventure and challenges of playing professional cricket.
Although I am calling time on my playing career, I will still be involved in the game, working alongside broadcasters at international and franchise tournaments as a commentator and pundit. I am sincerely looking forward to what the future holds.
Morgan was born in Dublin and made his ODI debut for Ireland at the tender age of 16 before he joined the English cricket team in 2009. Morgan has played 248 ODIs, and 115 T20I and has scored over 10,000 runs across these two formats. The former English skipper has also played 16 Test matches and has scored 700 runs.
