Shabnim Ismail: South Africa fast bowler announces retirement from international cricket
- Published
Shabnim Ismail helped South Africa beat England to reach the T20 World Cup final in February
South Africa fast bowler Shabnim Ismail has announced her retirement from international cricket at the age of 34.
Ismail, who has taken 317 wickets in 241 games across all three formats of the game, said she had made the "difficult decision" to "move on to the next chapter of my life".
She joins Lizelle Lee and Dane van Niekerk in retiring from the South Africa fold in the last 12 months.
"I am so grateful for the opportunities and experiences I have had," she said.
"As any athlete knows, training and competing at your best requires much sacrifice and dedication, and I now find myself wanting to spend more time with my family, particularly my siblings and parents as they get older.
"I have loved being able to compete at the highest level and I am so proud of being able to be part of a wonderful group of players who have led the way for women in cricket. The memories I have will stay with me forever.
"As I step into this new stage of my life, I am excited to explore new opportunities and spend more time with those I love. However, cricket will always hold a special place in my heart, and I will continue to be a proud ambassador for the sport in South Africa."
Ismail, who is set to play for Welsh Fire in The Hundred this summer, said she is looking forward to "continuing to perform at the highest level over the next few years".
The right-armer, who is one of the fastest in the women's game, took three wickets in one Test, 191 scalps in 127 one-day internationals and 123 victims in 113 T20s.