England Pacer Mark Wood Calls Time on International Career

The 36-year-old fast bowler steps away from England duty with immediate effect after a knee injury ended his hopes of returning to Test and ODI cricket.

England fast bowler Mark Wood has announced his retirement from international cricket with immediate effect. The 36-year-old speedster, regarded as one of the quickest bowlers of his era, has seen his career repeatedly interrupted by injury.

Wood returned to action in the first Ashes Test in Perth last November after spending eight months on the sidelines following knee surgery. However, swelling returned to the same knee after he had bowled just 11 overs, and he flew home for treatment. He never played for England again.

In announcing his decision, Wood said medical advice ruled out both Test and 50-over cricket, adding that the "England dream has slowly been ground out of me over the past year." He called playing for England the greatest honour he could have wished for.

Wood made his Test debut against New Zealand at Lord's in 2015 and finished with 119 wickets from 38 Tests. He featured in four Ashes series, taking the clinching wicket at Trent Bridge in 2015 and producing a match-defining spell at Headingley in 2023 that helped England draw the series from 2-0 down.

A two-time World Cup winner, Wood was central to England's 2019 ICC Men's World Cup triumph on home soil, claiming 18 wickets in the tournament. He added nine wickets at the 2022 T20 World Cup in Australia and retires with 54 T20I wickets and 80 ODI wickets. England's Rob Key paid tribute, saying Wood could look back with enormous pride on a career very well spent.