Lizelle Lee announces retirement:
Lizelle Lee, the opening batter for South Africa, has declared her retirement from all forms of international cricket.
Lee announced her decision ahead released ahead of the forthcoming three-match One-Day International series against England, which begins on Monday, July 11 in Northampton.
The 30-year-old made her debut for South Africa against Bangladesh in 2013, making her T20I debut in her home stadium in Potchefstroom and earning her first ODI cap a week later.
The opening batter has scored 3315 runs in the 50-over game, during the course of 100 matches in her career. In that period, she scored three centuries and 23 half-centuries. With a career-best 132 not out against India in Lucknow in March of last year.
In T20Is, she is only the second South African woman to reach triple digits in shortest format. Lee played 82 games for Proteas, scoring 1,896 runs. While she smashed 13 fifty-plus scores including a hundred against Thailand in 2020.
What Lizelle Lee said about her decision
“It is with a lot of mixed emotions that I announce my retirement from international cricket. From a very young age, I have lived cricket and wanted to represent my country at the highest level. Over the past 8 years I was able to live that dream. And I feel I have given everything I could to the Proteas.” Lee said in an official statement released by Cricket South Africa.
Further talking about her retirement, she said, “My fellow Proteas teammates. Thank you for the wonderful memories we have made together. You have made this journey incredible. And I could not have done this without you. I will always be supporting you; we will always be rising together.
“Lastly to my fans, I am the person I am because of the love and support you have given me throughout my international career. I look forward to continuing this journey with you in the different leagues around the world.” she concluded.
The decision is a major setback for South Africa as they prepare for their upcoming women’s ODI series against England, which will begin on July 11 in Northampton. More crucially, as the Commonwealth Games’ women’s T20 competition will be held in Birmingham from July 29 to August 7.
