England wicketkeeper and one of the stars of the women’s game, Sarah Taylor, announced her retirement from international cricket on Friday.
Taylor had earlier taken an indefinite break from the game, citing difficulties with her mental health and withdrew from the Ashes T20Is. The 30-year-old played a key role in England winning the 2017 World Cup on home soil in a nail-biting final at Lord’s against India.
“This has been a tough decision but I know it’s the right one, for me and for my health moving forward. I can’t thank my teammates enough, both past and present, and the ECB for being supporters and friends along my journey,” Taylor was quoted as saying by the England and the Wales Cricket Board website.
“Playing for England and getting to wear the shirt for so long has been a dream come true and I have been blessed with so many great moments throughout my career. From making my debut in 2006, to Ashes wins, and of course, the World Cup final at Lord’s, to name just a few.
“The England girls are role models on and off the field, and they have undoubtedly inspired – and will continue to inspire – so many young people to take up the game, girls and boys. I can’t wait to see the heights that this team can reach. I am extremely proud of my career. I leave with my head held high and with excitement for what my future holds and what my next chapter brings.”
Clare Connor, Managing Director of Women’s Cricket, said: “Sarah can be immensely proud of everything she has achieved in an England shirt, and of everything she has done for the women’s game.
“She is someone that young people can look up to, for her achievements and talent on the pitch – but also for her bravery and resilience off it. She has come through significant adversity and performed on the world stage for her country. We are very grateful to Sarah for her contributions to English cricket over the last 13 years.
Since making her debut against India as a 17-year-old in 2006, Taylor has been one of the pillars of the England setup. Her keeping skills, apart from her swashbuckling batting, garnered widespread praise over the years. In a 13-year-old career, the London-born played 126 One-day Internationals and 90 Twenty20 Internationals. She also has ten Test caps to her name.
Taylor holds the all-time record of dismissals in women’s internationals. She finishes as the second in England’s all-time list of run-scorers. Taylor bagged 226 dismissals behind the stumps and scored 6,553 runs across formats.