South Africa all-rounder Dwaine Pretorious bids farewell to international cricket
Proteas all-rounder Dwaine Pretorious has announced his retirement from international cricket with an intent to focus on T20 and other shorter formats of the game for the rest of his career. He opined that the decision would help him become the best short-format player he is capable of being.
With the advent of new franchise leagues now a regular occurrence, cricketers have started to focus on the shorter formats of the game to prolong their careers and take some time off from the game. South Africa all-rounder Dwaine Pretorious has taken a similar step as he retired from international cricket on Monday in a surprise announcement, stating that he wants to focus on T20 cricket and other short formats.
"I am shifting my focus to T20 and other shorter formats for the rest of my career. Being a free agent will help me achieve the goal of being the best short-format player I can be. By doing this, I will be able to have a better balance in my career and family life,” Pretorious’ official statement to the CSA revealed.
Pretorious appeared in 30 T20Is, 27 ODIs and three Tests for the national side, taking 77 wickets across formats. The all-rounder holds the record for South Africa’s best bowling figures in T20Is with his 5 for 17 against Pakistan. The tall, lanky pacer is currently a hot prospect in franchise cricket owing to his experience of playing in the IPL, CPL, The Hundred and now the SA20.
Cricket South Africa director Enoch Nkwe stated that the all-rounder’s quality in the side will be missed for sure.
"He has always represented the badge with the utmost pride, determination and commitment, leaving everything on the field every time he pulled on the Proteas shirt. His all-round ability added to his value as a player and his quality will no doubt be missed,” he said.
Pretorious made his mark on the T20 circuit as an all-rounder who can provide a finish with the bat and bowl some quality death overs as well. He lost his pace early in his career due to knee injuries but kept working on his skills. The cricketer made his ODI debut in 2016 against Ireland and scored a fifty in the game. After drawing curtains on his international career, Pretorious thanked Faf du Plessis for giving him an opportunity in the international arena.
"I leave the Proteas team knowing that every time I stepped onto the field, I gave everything I had in me. From playing with broken toes, fingers and torn muscles, to carrying drinks, team meetings and helping other players wherever I could. It has been a blast. Thank you to all the fans for your support and love -you made it extra special,” he expressed.