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David Wiese, Namibia’s star all-rounder and former South African player, has announced his retirement from international cricket following his team’s loss to England in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024.
Wiese, known for his aggressive batting and handy pace bowling, bowed out on a high note with a quick-fire 27 runs off just 12 deliveries in the rain-affected match against England. However, his efforts were in vain as Namibia fell short of the target by 41 runs.
‘It just seemed like the right time’: David Wiese
In the press-conference after the game, Wiese stated that the current situation was the best for him to end his international career and felt it was the right time to move on.
“Yeah, yeah, for now. I mean, next year’s T20 World Cup is still two years away, I’m 39 years old now, so, in terms of international cricket, I don’t know if there’s much left in me. Obviously, I still like to play the game for a couple more years, I feel like I’ve still got a lot to contribute and a lot to play. But I just feel like what better place to end a special career for me personally with Namibia. I’ve had a lot of good times with them and to play my last game for them possibly at a World Cup against a world-class team like England, it just seemed like the right time,” said Wiese.
Also READ: T20 World Cup 2024 – England survive rain scare to clinch victory over Namibia
Wiese played international cricket for both South Africa and Namibia
The 39-year-old began his international cricket journey with South Africa in 2013, featuring in 20 T20Is and six ODIs. He was part of the Proteas’ T20 World Cup squad in 2016 but couldn’t help them progress beyond the Super 10 stage. After a five-year hiatus, Wiese switched allegiances and made a remarkable comeback in 2021, representing Namibia in their maiden T20 World Cup campaign.
The switch proved fruitful as Wiese emerged as a key player for Namibia. He led them to their first-ever World Cup victory, chasing down a target of 165 against the Netherlands with an unbeaten 66. He finished the tournament as the sixth-highest run-scorer with 227 runs and also chipped in with six wickets.
Wiese continued to be a vital cog in the Namibian team, featuring in nine ODIs and 34 T20Is since the 2021 World Cup. He amassed 760 runs and scalped 41 wickets across these formats.
While Namibia’s World Cup journey ended in the group stage this time around, Wiese’s contribution to their rise in international cricket will be remembered. His decision to retire marks the end of an era for Namibian cricket, leaving a void for future generations to fill.