Former England Captain Eoin Morgan Announces Retirement From All Forms Of Cricket

Eoin Morgan, who led England to their first ICC Men’s World Cup championship in 2019, announced his retirement from professional cricket on Monday. England’s World Cup-winning captain announced his retirement from international cricket in June 2022. Morgan last appeared for the Paarl Royals in the just finished SA20 League semi-final. Across six innings, the left-hander totaled 128 runs at a strike rate of 145.45, with a high of 64. Morgan resigned from international cricket in July of last year, after a 16-year career that began with Ireland before moving to England. Following that, he proceeded to play in several global franchise leagues across the world.

Morgan took to Twitter to announce his retirement and wrote, “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 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,” the 36-year-old said in an official statement.

“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,” said the former England captain.

“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,” Morgan said.

“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,” he added.

Morgan scored 5,042 runs in first-class cricket, 11,654 in List A, and 7,780 in T20s throughout his professional career, which began in 2006. Morgan, one of England’s white-ball greats, is still the country’s highest run-scorer (6957 runs in 225 ODIs with 13 centuries) and the most successful ODI captain (76 victories from 126 matches led).

In 115 T20Is, he scored 2458 runs at a strike rate of 136.18 and hit 14 fifties. Morgan was a key member of England’s maiden ICC Men’s T20 World Cup victory in the West Indies in 2010, and he led the team to a runner-up finish in the 2016 edition in India. In total, he guided England to 42 T20I victories from 72 matches.

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