England pacer David Willey to retire from international cricket after World Cup

England’s left-handed pitcher David Willey has declared his retirement from all forms of international cricket following the conclusion of the 2018 ODI World Cup in India.

Willey, who made his England debut in 2015, played in 70 ODIs and 43 T20Is, taking 145 wickets in the process. The 33-year-old’s decision comes in the aftermath of a terrible World Cup campaign for the reigning champions, who have only won one game out of six so far.

Willey though took to his social media to suggest that his “decision has nothing to do with our performance during the World Cup.”

:I never wanted this day to come. From a young boy, I’ve only ever dreamed of playing cricket for England. I feel I still have a lot more to give on and off the field while I am still playing my best cricket,” Willey wrote on his social media.

“I’m sure everybody who knows me does not doubt that, whatever my involvement in the remainder of this campaign, I will give my everything and more!”

Willey’s decision comes a week after the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) published the men’s core contracts, with the 33-year-old being the only one in the England team who was not among the 26 players included in the same.

England’s managing director of men’s cricket, Rob Key, stated last week that Willey “wasn’t best pleased” with his omission from the list. On Sunday, he bowled a three-wicket haul against India and was England’s first-choice bowler in a 100-run defeat in Lucknow.

Former England captain Michael Vaughan would later question the cricket board about Willey’s treatment. “He’s been England’s best player in the last three games,” Vaughan explained to BBC Test Match Special. “You’ve got a player in a World Cup, there’s a T20 World Cup next June, and even if you think David Willey isn’t going to be in the squad for the T20 World Cup at this point, he’s probably an injury away from being in that 15.” So you can’t say you don’t want to be responsible for someone like David Willey.”

England’s next match is against Australia on Saturday at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.