England’s international cricket scene bids adieu to Alex Hales, as he announces an immediate retirement, culminating a remarkable journey of nearly 12 years.
With his first match against India in 2011, Hales showcased his mastery across 75 T20Is, 70 ODIs, and 11 Tests. The T20 format was his forte, narrowly missing England’s inaugural T20I century in 2012. His final chapter includes a remarkable unbeaten 86* in the T20 World Cup semi-final, propelling England to victory.
Alex Hales’s retirement decision opens up opportunities for global franchise cricket and allows him to fully commit to his franchises. Recently, he chose the Pakistan Super League over England’s Bangladesh tour and faced potential clashes ahead.
Expressing his sentiments in a statement to ESPNcricinfo, Hales conveyed, “It has been an absolute privilege to have represented my country on 156 occasions across all three formats. I’ve made some memories and some friendships to last a lifetime and I feel that now is the right time to move on.”
“Throughout my time in an England shirt I’ve experienced some of the highest highs as well as some of the lowest lows. It’s been an incredible journey and I feel very content that my last game for England was winning a World Cup final. Throughout the ups and downs, I’ve always felt a huge amount of support from my friends, family, and undoubtedly the best fans in world cricket. I look forward to continuing to play for Notts and experiencing more franchise cricket around the world,” he added in his statement.
Hales left an indelible mark on England’s ODI records pre-2022, notably contributing 171 out of the team’s 444 against Pakistan in 2016 and 147 out of 481 against Australia in 2018.
Formerly topping the T20 batting charts globally, Hales retains his coveted status as a prized T20 batsman. With an impressive tally of 405 T20 appearances spanning various franchises and England, he has amassed a remarkable 11,000+ runs at an astonishing strike rate of 147.
Last Updated on August 4, 2023
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