Photo Credit: Professional Cricketers’ Association
The PCA and Team England Player Partnership pay tribute to England’s retiring captain.
England limited overs captain Eoin Morgan has announced his immediate retirement from international cricket following a long and distinguished career with England.
Following this news, the PCA and Team England Player Partnership (TEPP) have paid tribute to the leader of the 2019 World Cup winning team who has broken and holds so many records for his country.
Morgan scored 10,859 runs in 379 internationals, including 23 ODIs for Ireland before beginning a 13-year career with England. The 35-year-old retires as England’s all-time leading run scorer and cap holder in ODI and T20I cricket.
The Middlesex batter ends his career with 6,957 runs from 225 ODIs for England with 13 centuries at an average of 39.75. Morgan captained England for 126 of those appearances and led his team to 76 victories, the best win record in the history of England ODI cricket with 60%.
A T20 World Cup winner in 2010, he finishes his career with 115 T20I caps, 72 as captain which is equal to MS Dhoni as the most in international T20 cricket. Scoring 2,458 runs, Morgan’s influence as a captain led to significant developments in 20-over cricket, including reaching the latter stages of two T20 World Cups.
In Test cricket, he made two centuries and won 16 caps and was part of the famous 2010/11 Ashes winning squad in Australia.
In recent years, Morgan’s influence with TEPP has grown as a member on the Management Board as a leading voice in representing England players views.
Awarded a CBE in 2020 in recognition of his outstanding leadership, Morgan captained England for seven years and the PCA and TEPP have paid tribute to the outgoing captain.
PCA President, Charlotte Edwards, said:
“Eoin retires from international cricket leaving a lasting legacy as an England captain. Eoin transformed the way England play white-ball cricket, whether that be through his own aggressive approach with the bat or his inspirational leadership. The pinnacle being the World Cup win in 2019 at Lord’s which will go down as the greatest final of all time.
“We as a game will be forever thankful for his contribution and wish Eoin all the best for the future.”
PCA Chair and former Middlesex teammate, James Harris, said:
“I would like to wish Eoin a huge congratulations on his career as a player and a leader. The legacy that he leaves behind from his time playing the international game is immense and he deserves a huge amount of gratitude on how far he has moved the needle for cricket in this country.
“As a player he was ahead of his time, always attacking with the ability to hit the ball anywhere on the ground, and as a captain, he has transformed our international white-ball cricket in this country due to his vision that he had and was able to instil in the game.
“As a player, he always discussed taking the game on, moving it forward, and then having the skillset and bravery to be able to do so. Eoin personified that ethos as a player and a leader. The confidence that he instilled in individuals and teams has pushed England to the top spot and one of the most feared teams in the world, uniting the country with the brilliant victory in the World Cup at home in 2019. We’ll miss Eoin wearing the England cap immensely but in leaving at this time he leaves England’s white-ball cricket in a magnificent place.
“Thanks Eoin for all that you’ve done and for the enjoyment you’ve brought to the cricketing public all over the world. In a time where fighting for people’s time and attention is tough, through your play and leadership you’ve brought many more people to the game of cricket and for that we all owe you a massive thank you.”
PCA Chief Executive, Rob Lynch, said:
“Eoin Morgan has been a game-changer for cricket. Eoin’s accomplishments will see him retire from international cricket as one of the greatest to have ever worn the Three Lions.
“Eoin is the individual who has brought the biggest change to England’s white-ball cricket. A reset that saw instant results, he led England to within an over of the 2016 T20 World Cup trophy and continued that progress to win our home World Cup in 2019.
“The way he brought together such a diverse group of players and created an environment that led them to so much success is credit to Eoin as a person.
“Eoin, a valued friend who I hold in the highest regard, has been a great supporter of the PCA and Professional Cricketers’ Trust throughout his long international career and we look forward to that continuing in the future.
“In life we are often judged on leaving positions in a better place than when they are started. In Eoin’s case it was genuinely not possible to believe the position England’s fortunes are in and he has done a remarkable job. He has taken the selfless act to step down and retire with England in a strong position to challenge for future trophies in the short format World Cups in the next 18 months.
“All the very best for the future, boss.”
Team England Player Partnership Chair, Richard Bevan, said:
“Eoin’s influence over England’s white-ball cricket on and off the pitch since his debut in 2009 has been astonishing.
“Since his debut, it has been a privilege to see him grow into an inspirational leader that has seen him transform fortunes on the pitch, culminating in the famous World Cup victory in 2019.
“However, Eoin’s innovative thinking and clear sense of direction has been of huge importance off the pitch too. A leading voice behind the scenes with the Team England Player Partnership, his selfless views have created change and progression in how England men’s players are supported.
“I have no doubt Eoin will continue to be a leading voice in the game and I wish him every success in the future.”
Name of Author: Professional Cricketers Association
The Professional Cricketers’ Association (PCA), founded in 1967 by former England fast bowler Fred Rumsey as the Cricketers’ Association, represents past and present first-class cricketers in England and Wales. In the 1970s, the PCA established a standard employment contract and minimum wage for professional cricketers. It also helped create a pension scheme in 1995 and launched the magazine All Out Cricket and the ACE UK Educational Programme in 2002.
