Paceman David Willey opened up on his decision to retire from international cricket after England’s final World Cup 2023 match against Pakistan at Eden Gardens. The left-arm pacer produced a sensational spell in the final match of his career as bowling figures of 3/56 also helped him bag the Player of the Match Award.
Willey revealed Rob Key’s, who is the managing director of the England team, words to him when he didn’t get the central contract as the left-arm seamer said maybe he has proved him wrong with his performances.
Follow all the action from the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 including the World Cup schedule, World Cup 2023 results, and ICC Cricket World Cup points table. Players are vying to top the World Cup 2023 Most Runs and World Cup 2023 Most Wickets charts.
“Yeah, Keysy (Rob Key) said hopefully you can prove me wrong. Maybe I have done over the last few games. For me personally it’s not many opportunities you get to walk away from cricket on your terms and I wanted to really enjoy the last three games of cricket and play without looking over my shoulder and thinking one bad performance and I am out of the side,” Willey said in the post-match presentation.
When asked whether he thought of representing England in so many matches, Willey walked down memory lane and said, “No not at all. If I look back at my academy time I was never the best player. I have just found a way and my resilience to keep chipping away to be part of this group – which is such an incredible group of white ball cricketers – I’m immensely proud of that. Very proud of every game.”
He further credited the strong support network around him which was always there to pick him up whenever things didn’t go in his favour.
“I have been fortunate enough to get a great support network around me to pick me up when I have been down. My wife, I am sure she will be watching back home no doubt. Massive thank you to her, she has picked me up many a time. Proud every time I have pulled on this shirt and the national anthem is pretty special,” he added.
The left-arm paceman suggested that the T20 World Cup win last year was a special moment for him as he missed out on being part of the 2019 ODI WC-winning squad.
“World Cup win in Australia with family around was pretty special after the disappointment of missing in 2019. From there, finding my way back into the side – I didn’t actually play in the competition itself but that moment was very special. Every time you take a wicket is pretty special,” he added.
He also talked about England’s poor World Cup campaign in India this year as he said it would have been nice for him to go on a high in the tournament.
“Tournament hasn’t gone to plan, disappointing on that note. It would have been nice to go on a real high. To perform and finish with 100 wickets is a nice way to finish,” he said.
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