By Wisden India Staff
Charlotte Edwards, the 36-year-old batter, has announced her retirement from international cricket, bringing the curtain down on an illustrious 20-year-long career at the highest level.
Edwards, also the England Women captain since 2006, steered her team to the Women’s World Cup and Women’s World T20 titles in 2009, apart from piloting the side to the Women’s Ashes thrice – in England in 2013, and in Australia in 2008 and again in 2014.
The most capped woman cricketer in the world, Edwards played 23 Tests, 191 One-Day Internationals and 95 Twenty20 Internationals. With 5992 runs, she is the leading ODI scorer in women’s cricket, and her tally of 2605 runs in T20 Internationals makes her the highest scorer in that format, men’s and women’s cricket combined.
“Everyone who knows me – and how much I love playing for England – will appreciate what a difficult decision it has been for me to retire from international cricket,” Edwards, who made her international debut at 16, said on Wednesday (May 11). “It’s a decision I’ve reached after much thought and detailed discussion with Mark Robinson (the England Women coach) and Clare Connor (ECB Director of England Women’s Cricket) about what is best for the team going forward.
“I have given 20 years to playing for England and I leave very proud of the standing in which the women’s game is held and of my contribution as a player and captain. As a 16-year-old girl making my debut for England, I couldn’t have dreamt that I would have had such an amazing time with so much success. I’ve travelled the world, won World Cups and Ashes series and shared it all with some of my closest friends.”
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Edwards added that as much as it was time for her to move on, it was also important put a succession plan in place with the future in mind. “However, nothing lasts forever. I believe now is the right time for a new captain to lead the team forward and for young players to be given more opportunities to make their mark on the international game. After honest and open discussions with Mark, it became clear that he wants to build a new team and I fully support that. I would have loved to have carried on and whilst I am disappointed that I won’t be doing so, I fully understand and respect what Mark is looking to do. This is a new era and he wants other players to come to the fore to build a strong team.
“Twenty years is a long time and so I have many people to thank: my family, my friends, every single coach who has helped me get better during my career, all the support staff and my England team mates over the last two decades. They are all special to me and I couldn’t have achieved even half of what I have without them. I also want to thank everyone at the ECB for all their support and guidance over the years, and to the incredible fan base that has grown for the England women’s team throughout my career.
“Aside from the team’s successes and my own personal record, I am most proud of where the women’s game is now. I have loved working with the ECB off the pitch to break new ground and to build a better future for the sport, and I hope to continue to play a role in this moving forwards.”
Tributes were quick to pour in for Edwards, who was the ICC Women’s Player of the Year in 2008 and who was awarded a CBE in 2014 in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list. “It is impossible to quantify Charlotte’s contribution to England women’s cricket in a few words, so great has her influence and inspiration been as a leader, and so prolific her record as a batsman,” said Connor. “In a staggering career spanning 20 years, she has achieved it all. She has witnessed great change: from making her debut in 1996 when, aged 16, she paid £50 for the privilege of her first England blazer to turning fully professional for these twilight years of her career.
“Throughout that time, she has adapted, she has thrived and she has become more and more resilient. But perhaps most importantly she has remained in love with the game. Unlike her sport and her journey through it, Charlotte the person has barely changed. Despite the CBE, the professional contract, the media requests and the World Cup medals, she has remained constant, true to herself, an impeccable role model for our sport and, indeed, for all women in sport. She has given everything to playing cricket for England and the game will forever owe her a huge debt of gratitude. I wish her every success and happiness as she embarks on the next stage of her life.”
Edwards, also just the second woman to be named Wisden Cricketer of the Year, Edwards will continue to play domestic cricket as captain of Southern Vipers in the inaugural Super League this summer, and will also lead Kent in the Royal London Women’s one-day championship.