Dawid Malan Retires from International Cricket at 37
Dawid Malan, England’s former top-ranked T20I batter, has bid farewell to international cricket at the age of 37. Malan, who represented England in 22 Tests, 30 ODIs, and 62 T20Is, is one of only two English batters (alongside Jos Buttler) to have scored centuries in all three formats.
Malan’s international breakthrough came on the 2017-18 Ashes tour, where he scored his only Test century, a gritty 140 in partnership with Jonny Bairstow at Perth. However, it was in the T20I format that he truly made his mark.
In September 2020, Malan ascended to the top of the ICC’s T20I batting rankings. The following March, he became the fastest men’s player to reach 1000 runs in the format, achieving the milestone in just 24 innings. He was also a member of England’s T20 World Cup-winning squad in Australia in 2022.
Despite his success in T20Is, Malan’s ODI career took longer to take off. However, he seized his opportunity when it came, scoring five ODI centuries in the space of 15 innings between June 2022 and September 2023. This impressive run of form earned him a place in England’s 2023 World Cup squad.
Reflecting on his career, Malan expressed both pride and regret. He acknowledged that he had “exceeded all expectations” in white-ball formats but admitted that his inability to establish himself consistently in Test cricket was a disappointment.
Malan’s departure from international cricket is likely to open up opportunities for younger players. He is expected to remain in high demand on the T20 franchise circuit, having recently played for Oval Invincibles in the Men’s Hundred and Sunrisers Eastern Cape in the SA20.