Dawid Malan, England’s Former Top T20I Batter, Announces Retirement from International Cricket
Dawid Malan, who once held the No.1 spot in the T20I batting rankings for England, has announced his retirement from international cricket at the age of 37. Malan, who represented England in 22 Test matches, 30 ODIs, and 62 T20Is, is one of just two English men’s cricketers, alongside Jos Buttler, to have scored centuries in all three international formats. His decision comes after being left out of the upcoming white-ball series against Australia, having not played for England since the 2023 ICC Cricket World Cup in India.
“It’s been an incredible journey since my debut in July 2017,” Malan said. “I’m grateful for the opportunity to represent England across all formats. In sports, many retire with a feeling they could have achieved a bit more. Whether you’ve played ten Tests or a hundred, the desire to have scored more runs or won more matches lingers. As I retire, I can say with genuine satisfaction that I’ve given it my all. It hasn’t always been easy. Perhaps it’s just my nature, but I often felt I needed to prove myself and constantly play for my spot. That pressure, while part of the job, does take a toll mentally and physically. However, I look back with pride on my achievements.”
Malan made a strong impression with a dynamic 78 off 44 balls on his T20I debut against South Africa in 2017. His standout moment in Test cricket came later that year during the Ashes series in Australia, where he scored a memorable 140 in Perth in partnership with Jonny Bairstow. Yet, it was in the T20 format where Malan truly established his reputation, especially after the 2019 ODI World Cup. His prolific run-scoring included a blistering 48-ball century in Napier against New Zealand. He reached the pinnacle of the ICC T20I batting rankings in September 2020 and became the fastest male cricketer to score 1,000 T20I runs, achieving the milestone in just 24 innings. Malan was also part of England’s T20 World Cup-winning squad in Australia in 2022, though an injury kept him out of the latter stages of the tournament.
Despite his success in the shorter format, Malan took longer to secure his place in the ODI setup. Critics often pointed to his tendency to start innings slowly, which was seen as a limitation in T20Is but suited the 50-over format well. When given the opportunity, he took advantage of it, amassing five hundreds in fifteen ODI innings from June 2022 to September 2023. This impressive form earned him a spot in the 2023 World Cup squad, where he notched another century against Bangladesh, although he couldn’t prevent England’s disappointing overall performance in the tournament.
In an interview with The Times, Malan reflected on his career, stating that he had “exceeded all expectations in white-ball formats” but expressed some regret over not establishing a more consistent Test career. Ten of his 22 Test appearances were on back-to-back Ashes tours in 2017-18 and 2021-22, where he averaged 33.00, a figure surpassed only by Alastair Cook, Joe Root, and Jonny Bairstow among recent regular England players. His final Test appearance came during England’s defeat in Hobart in January 2022.
“Growing up, Test cricket was always the pinnacle,” said Malan. “I had moments where I played well, but there were also times I didn’t perform consistently enough, which was disappointing because I believed I was capable of more. I took all formats seriously, but the demands of Test cricket, both mental and physical, were especially intense. The long series were draining, and my form often dipped after a few matches. Regardless, I always aimed to do what was necessary to win for the team. I never walked off the field satisfied with my performance if the team didn’t win.”
With his international career concluded, Malan is likely to become a sought-after player on the global T20 franchise circuit. Two years after helping the Trent Rockets win the title, he just played a crucial part in the Oval Invincibles’ Men’s Hundred success. Last winter, Malan was instrumental in Sunrisers Eastern Cape’s triumph in the SA20, and he also featured for Multan Sultans in the Pakistan Super League.
Rob Key, managing director of England Men’s Cricket, paid tribute to Malan, stating: “Dawid Malan retires after an impressive international career marked by resilience and determination. From the start, he had to battle for every opportunity, often facing the world’s best teams. His contributions were especially vital during England’s World Cup successes in Australia, where he played a key role. His legacy is one of tenacity and achievement, characteristics any player would be proud to possess.”
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