Eoin Morgan: England white-ball captain retires from international cricket

Eoin Morgan: England white-ball captain retires from international cricket

England's World Cup-winning captain Eoin Morgan has confirmed his retirement from international cricket.

Under Morgan, England won the 2019 World Cup and reached the top of the one-day and Twenty20 rankings.

Morgan said it "hasn't been an easy decision" but "I believe now is the right time to do so".

The 35-year-old, who took charge of the T20 side in 2012 and one-day side in 2014, has struggled for form and fitness in recent times.

Jos Buttler, who has led England in nine ODIs and five T20s when Morgan has been absent through injury, is expected to take on the role with an announcement set to be made later in the week.

England face India in a three-match T20 series starting on 7 July, while the T20 World Cup in Australia begins in October.

Morgan, who was also part of the 2010 T20 World Cup-winning side, is England's leading run-scorer in one-day and T20 cricket with 6,957 and 2,458 runs respectively.

His tally of 225 ODIs and 115 T20s is also an England record.

In a statement, Morgan, who has only scored one half-century in his last 26 white-ball innings for England, said: "To call time on what has been without doubt the most enjoyable and rewarding chapter of my career hasn't been an easy decision, but I believe now is the right time to do so, both for me, personally, and for both England white-ball sides I have led to this point.

"I am hugely proud of what I have achieved as a player and captain, but the things I will cherish and remember the most are the memories I made with some of the greatest people I know along the way.

"I have been lucky enough to play in two World Cup winning teams, but I believe the future for England's white-ball teams is brighter than ever. We have more experience, more strength and more depth than ever before. I look forward to watching on with a huge level of excitement."

_125676744_eoin_morgan_getty2.jpgMorgan averaged 39.75 at a strike-rate of 93.89 in ODIs and 28.58 at a strike-rate of 136.17 in T20s for England

Morgan said he "will continue to enjoy playing at a domestic level while I can" and still plans to captain London Spirit in the second season of The Hundred in August.

The left-hander took over from Alastair Cook as ODI captain and oversaw England's miserable 2015 World Cup campaign when they were knocked out in the group stages.

But he implemented a new, attacking approach which helped England break the record for the highest one-day total three times.

They achieved that feat most recently in making 498-4 against the Netherlands last week, but Morgan made ducks in his two innings in the series and missed the third ODI with a groin problem.

Rob Key, managing director of England men's cricket, said: "I'd like to thank Eoin Morgan for his outstanding contribution to the game.

"It will be wrong to think Eoin's legacy was just winning the World Cup in 2019 - it is far greater than that.

"As with all great players and leaders, he has changed the way the game has been played, and he has changed the way an entire generation and generations to come will play this form of the game. His legacy within the game will be felt for many years to come.

"He is, without question, the best leader I have seen."

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