England's David Willey retires from international cricket after bowling heroics vs Pakistan

England pacer David Willey retired from all international cricket as England ended their World Cup 2023 campaign in India with a 93-run win over Pakistan in Kolkata on Saturday. Willey picked up three wickets to win the Man of the Match award in his final international match.

Opting to bat at Eden Gardens, England managed to put up a respectable total of 337-9. Three of their top four batters, Jonny Bairstow (59), Joe Root (60), and Ben Stokes (84), delivered strong performances, resulting in their third 300-plus total in the competition. Despite this positive display, fans couldn't help but lament the inconsistency of the batting lineup throughout the tournament.

Facing England's challenging total, Pakistan faltered and were eventually all out for 244 in the 44th over. This loss marked their fifth defeat in nine matches, leading to their exit from the tournament.

"The tournament hasn't gone according to the plan for us (England). To get to 100 ODI wickets is a special moment for me. A nice way to finish. We've got a



phenomenal dressing room with great players," Willey told the broadcasters.

Willey revealed that he hoped he had produced some performances that would prove Rob Key's decision of not awarding him a central contract wrong. Willey also revealed that the T20 World Cup win in Australia in 2022 was a memorable moment of his proud England career.

"Rob Key said to me hope you prove me wrong. I hope I've done that. If I look back, I was never the best player (during academy days). I've just been resilient. Proud to have worn the England jersey. The T20 World Cup win in Australia in 2022 is a memorable moment."

Having debuted in ODIs in May 2015 and later making his mark in T20Is the same year, the 33-year-old cricketer has built an impressive record. In his 73 ODIs, he has taken 100 wickets and contributed 625 runs with the bat. Additionally, in 43 T20Is, he has secured 51 wickets. Notably, Willey played a crucial role in England's T20 World Cup journey, finishing as runners-up in India in 2016 and clinching the title in Australia in 2022.