England fast bowler Mark Wood retires from international cricket

England fast bowler Mark Wood has announced his retirement from international cricket at the age of 36 after a long battle with injuries, bringing an end to an 11-year career.

Wood said medical advice had convinced him that he could no longer continue playing Test and ODI cricket because of a serious problem with his left knee and the physical limitations caused by repeated injuries and rehabilitation.

The right-arm pacer, known for regularly exceeding 150kph, made his international debut in 2015 and became a key member of England’s pace attack across all three formats. Despite persistent injury setbacks, his pace and aggressive approach made him a potent threat.

Wood finished with 119 wickets in 38 Tests, 80 in 70 ODIs and 54 in 38 T20Is for England. He was part of England’s 2019 ODI World Cup-winning and 2022 T20 World Cup-winning squads, and took the final wicket in England’s victory over Australia in the 2015 Ashes Test at Trent Bridge.

Wood will not leave competitive cricket altogether, however. He intends to continue playing in the Indian Premier League and England’s domestic competitions, meaning he could still feature in franchise and domestic cricket after stepping away from the national team.

Reflecting on his career, Wood said his statistics may not place him among the greatest bowlers in history, but he hopes teammates will remember him as someone who always gave his best on the field.