Stuart Broad, the ace England pacer, has announced that the ongoing fifth and final Ashes 2023 Test against Australia will be his last match in professional cricket. After a stellar career that began with his Test debut in 2007, the 37-year-old has played 167 Test matches and has managed to take over 600 wickets. With this impressive record, he will retire as the second-highest wicket-taker for England in the longest format . The left-handed batter was also a handy lower-order player with over 3600 runs, including a ton and 13 half-centuries.
Throughout his career, Broad also showcased his talent in limited-overs cricket. He played 121 One Day Internationals (ODIs) and picked up 178 wickets. Additionally, in 56 Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is), he took 65 wickets. The Nottingham-born cricketer’s contributions were not limited to his bowling abilities; he also captained England in T20Is between 2011-2015 and played a key role in helping England secure victory in the 2010 T20 World Cup by picking up seven wickets at an impressive average of 17.50.
Stuart Broad’s mother hails his resolution to decamp
Speaking on BBC Test Match Special, the English stalwart’s mother Carole Broad stated that her son has made the right decision and rooted for England to win the Test for Broad.
‘We want to win it today. We knew for certain in the morning, our lips were sealed but yesterday was a great batting day so I had something to focus on. Of course, you have conversations but Stuart is a master of making the right decision and he’s done it again,” Carol said.
Furthermore sharing her emotions, Broad’s mother revealed that she gets tingles whenever his son steps on the field to play for England.
“The first day I saw him come down the stairs I got a tingle and I still get that. I just really want them to win,” Carol concluded.
With 151 wickets from 40 games at an average of 29.03 and eight five-wicket hauls, Broad ranks third on the all-time highest wicket-takers list in Ashes. His ability to take wickets consistently and his effectiveness in the series have made him a formidable force against Australia.
In the ongoing Ashes 2023 series, Broad has been in excellent form, claiming 20 wickets from 10 innings at an average of 28.90. He currently ranks second in the list of highest wicket-takers for the series, only three wickets behind Mitchell Starc. As he bowls once final time, the right-arm pacer will undoubtedly be eager to surpass Starc and finish as the highest wicket-taker of the series, leaving a lasting impact on his farewell match.
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