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Legendary South Africa fast bowler Shabnim Ismail announced her retirement from international cricket with immediate effect on Wednesday.
Ismail cited "wanting to spend more time with my family" as one of the reasons to move on from international cricket and play T20 domestic cricket around the world, as per the International Cricket Council (ICC). "After 16 years proudly representing my country, I have come to the difficult decision to retire from international cricket and move on to the next chapter of my life," Ismail said in her statement. "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," the pace veteran added. Ismail's final game for South Africa came in the final of the ICC Women's T20 World Cup against Australia. The speedster picked up eight wickets at an average of 16.12 in South Africa's maiden appearance in the final of a World Cup. "As I look back on my international career, I am so grateful for all the opportunities and experiences I have had. 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," said Ismail. Ismail (34) played 127 ODIs, 113 T20Is and a solitary Test for South Africa in an international career spanning 16 years. Hailed as the fastest bowler in the women's game, the South African collected 317 international wickets. Her overall tally in international cricket includes 3 Test wickets, 191 ODI scalps and 123 wickets in T20Is. She is the second-highest wicket-taker in ODI cricket among women players behind India's Jhulan Goswami (255 wickets). In the shorter format, too, she is the fourth-highest wicket-taker. The highest wicket-taker in T20Is is Pakistan's Nida Dar at 126 scalps. Ismail also grabbed the joint-most women's ODI wickets taken in a single calendar year, with 37 scalps in 2022. It included 14 wickets in the 2022 ICC Women's Cricket World Cup in New Zealand. Ismail featured in all women's 50-over World Cups for South Africa starting from 2009 and was also part of 8 women's T20 World Cup campaigns for the Proteas. "This is a poignant but celebratory moment for South African cricket and the global game as a whole, as we celebrate and honour an incredible cricketer in Shabnim Ismail," Enoch Nkwe, Cricket South Africa Director of Cricket, said. "Shabnim has transcended women's cricket as a fierce competitor with the ability of making any batter uncomfortable at the crease with her rapid pace that regularly surpassed 120kph throughout her career," he said. "She will be sorely missed by the team and all South African cricket fans as she continues to inspire the next generation of cricketers during her remaining domestic career in all parts of the globe," Nkwe said. (ANI)
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