Lizelle Lee: South Africa batter announces retirement from international cricket | Cricket News

Lizelle Lee is South Africa’s all-time leading scorer in T20 cricket, while only Mignon du Preez – who announced her own retirement from ODI cricket earlier this year – has scored more runs in the one-day format

Lizelle Lee scored three centuries for South Africa in ODI cricket and one in the T20 format

South Africa batter Lizelle Lee has retired from international cricket three days before the start of a one-day series with England she was due to play in.

The 30-year-old will continue to play in domestic competitions around the world, including The Hundred this summer, where she is a member of the Manchester Originals squad.

Making her international debut nine years ago, Lee went on to become one of the most destructive top-order batters in the women’s game. She played exactly 100 ODIs, scoring three centuries, including a career-best unbeaten 132 against India last March. Her sole T20I ton came against Thailand during the T20 World Cup two years ago.

Lee is South Africa’s all-time leading scorer in T20 cricket, while only Mignon du Preez – who announced her own retirement from ODI cricket earlier this year – has scored more runs than her in the one-day format.

Lee was named as the ICC Women’s Cricketer of the Year in 2021, as well as Wisden’s Leading Woman Cricketer in the World for the same year.

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Lizelle Lee’s final innings for South Africa comes to an end as she was dismissed by Sophie Ecclestone in the Women’s Test against England

Announcing her retirement from international cricket, Lee said: “From a young age, I have lived cricket and wanted to represent my country at the highest level.

“Over the past eight years I was able to live that dream and I feel I have given everything I could to the Proteas.”

Cricket South Africa director of cricket Enoch Nkwe said: “It is with great sadness we have to bid farewell to a titan of South African cricket at a relatively young age, however we wholeheartedly respect the individual’s decision.

“We wish her and her young family nothing but the best from here onwards.”

Lee’s final international appearance for South Africa came in the Test match against England last week, where she was dismissed for a duck in the first innings before following with 36 in the second as the rain-affected game ended in a draw.