Brendan Taylor, one of Zimbabwe’s finest cricketer, has announced to hang his boots from international cricket after Monday’s (September 13) ODI against Ireland in Belfast.
The wicketkeeper-batsman, who had made his debut in 2004, has played 34 Tests, 204 ODIs and 45 T20Is so far.
Taylor, 35, has amassed 2320, 6677 and 60 runs in Tests, ODIs and T20Is respectively and is the fourth highest run-getter for Zimbabwe in Tests.
“It’s with a heavy heart that I’m announcing that tomorrow is my last game for my beloved country,” Taylor stated on a Twitter post on Sunday.
“17 years of extreme highs and extreme lows and I wouldn’t change it for the world. It’s taught me to humble, to always remind myself how lucky I was to be in the position I was in for so long. To wear the badge with pride and leave everything on the field. My goal was to always leave the team in a better position as to when I first arrived back in 2004, I hope I have done that,” he added.
Taylor also thanked Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC), fans, teammates past and present, family and friends, and signed off with a special note recognising the invaluable role his wife and children have played in his cricketing journey.
“Finally to my wife @tkellyanne and our four beautiful boy’s (sic). You have meant everything to me on this journey and it wouldn’t have been possible without you. No more airport heartaches. I look forward to our next chapter. I love you all very much,” expressed Taylor.
Taylor, who was Zimbabwe’s leading run-getter in the 2015 ICC World Cup, had signed up for Nottinghamshire as a Kolpak player and played for three seasons before returning to the national side to boost their bid in the 2019 ICC World Cup qualifiers.
Taylor has 11 and six centuries in ODIs and Tests respectively.
In his 17 years of international cricket, and playing 283 internationals across all formats, Taylor is only behind Grant Flower (288) and Hamilton Masakadza (313), who have played more matches for Zimbabwe.
The wicketkeepr-batsman will go into his final match against Ireland with a chance to make history by becoming Zimbabwe’s greatest ever run-scorer in ODI cricket.