Lizelle Lee retires from international cricket
Johannesburg – Proteas ace Lizelle Lee announced her retirement from international cricket on Friday.
Lee, 30, is the current ICC Women's ODI Player of the Year, has been a crucial part of the Proteas’s rise up the rankings in recent years with a powerful striking at the top of the order making her one of the Proteas’s primary weapons.
“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," Lee said in a statement.
" 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, whose wife Tanya gave birth to a baby boy earlier this year, said she would focus on playing in domestic T20 tournaments around the world.
“It has been an incredible journey and it would not have been possible without everyone who has supported me during my international career. I want to thank my family, especially my wife Tanja for all the sacrifices they have made for me to live out my dream to represent my country.”
LIZELLE LEE RETIRES FROM INTERNATIONAL CRICKET😢
— Cricket South Africa (@OfficialCSA) July 8, 2022
Thank you for everything you have done 🫂
Here's to smashing the next phase of your life. We're going to miss you legend!#AlwaysRising #BePartOfIt pic.twitter.com/tA8Wjgg0tm
“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.”
Lee played 100 ODIs, having made her debut in 2013. She scored 3,315 runs at an average of 36.42, making three hundreds and 23 fifties. In 82 T20 Internationals, she scored 1,896 runs with a strike rate of 110.61. She also played two Tests.
"Lizelle has given this country countess moments on the field of play, most Kota leaders in 2021 when she was leading from the front with the bat and was named ICC Women's ODI Player of the Year," said CSA’S new Director of Cricket, Enoch Nkwe.
Lee's retirement is a big blow coming on the eve of a three match ODI series with England and just weeks before the Commonwealth Games, where the Proteas are one of eight participants in a T20 competition.