LONDON: England’s World Cup-winning fast bowler Mark Wood on Tuesday announced his retirement from international cricket after an 11-year career, citing persistent injuries.
The 36-year-old Durham pacer took to social media to confirm his decision, saying it was a “natural time” as his central contract ends.
“I’ve always tried to be resilient and come back from injury to prove people wrong. Unfortunately, this time I lost the battle. On medical advice, Test cricket and 50-over cricket are not possible, so the England dream has slowly been ground out of me over the last year,” Wood wrote.
Wood, one of England’s fastest-ever bowlers, made his debut in 2015 against New Zealand at Lord’s. He finishes with 253 wickets across formats – 119 in 38 Tests, 80 in 70 ODIs and 54 in 38 T20Is.He played a key role in England’s maiden 50-over World Cup triumph in 2019, claiming 18 wickets at speeds over 95mph, and was part of the T20 World Cup-winning squad in 2022.
Wood featured in four Ashes series and famously bowled Nathan Lyon to seal England’s Ashes win at Trent Bridge in 2015.His last appearance was the first Ashes Test in Perth in November 2025, where he bowled just 11 overs before a knee injury forced him home.
“Representing England was the biggest honour,” Wood said, adding he hopes to continue playing franchise cricket.
