These seven cricketers have achieved everything there is in international cricket and deserve a final swansong at 2019 World Cup.
Defending champions Australia will be looking for their 6th World Cup title, while hosts England will see it as their best chance to gather the elusive 50-over silverware in their cabinet. England is at the moment, one of the best ODI sides in the world along with India.
However, the next year’s World Cup might also see the swansong for many of the stalwarts of the game. Players who have given it all for their teams in the game and have now reached the point where they require one final fairytale ending before they retire from the game.
Team COC takes a look at seven such brilliant players who may very well say goodbye to the game after the showpiece event in 2019 in England.
Here are 7 cricketers who might retire after the 2019 World Cup
FAF DU PLESSIS (SOUTH AFRICA)
South African Faf du Plessis will be under pressure to realize the Proteas dream of moving past the semi-final stage of the World Cup. South Africa has been World Cup semi-finalists three times and has never reached the finals even once.
Du Plessis will more or less lead the team in the 2019 World Cup as well, but it will be without their star batsman AB de Villiers, who called quits a few months ago citing pressure as the major reason for his retirement. Therefore the onus of leading the team in every form will fall on 34-year-old Faf du Plessis.
Du Plessis has played 120 ODIs and 54 Tests for SA, scoring 4485 and 3302 runs respectively. However, the issue with Du Plessis is his fitness. Du Plessis has been battling a bad back for a long time and has missed games due to it. He might very well decide to leave the short format of the game and concentrate on his Test career after the 2019 World Cup. He would, however, love to win the World Cup before hanging his gear.
CHRIS GAYLE (WEST INDIES)
He was the first batsman to score a double century in World Cup cricket, a feat he achieved in 2015 World Cup against Zimbabwe. However, now at the age of almost 39, Gayle has expressed to have one last chance at World Cup glory in England next year.
Despite his age and slowing reflexes, Gayle still has the ability to change the game at the top with his powerful hitting and his experience will come in handy for the young Windies team and a possible third World Cup win is a great way for someone as special as Gayle to say goodbye.
IMRAN TAHIR (SOUTH AFRICA)
Though the conditions in England and Wales may assist fast bowlers, in recent times, spinners have ruled the roost in English conditions and Tahir may prove to be the trump card for Proteas in the 2019 World Cup. He still has the zeal and fitness to continue performing at the top level for South Africa and go out on a high in the World Cup in England.
SHOAIB MALIK (PAKISTAN)
A veteran of 266 ODIs, Malik started his career in 1999 and has scored 7015 runs since then with 9 centuries to his name and a best of 143. He has regained his magic touch at the age of 36 and has continued to be the rock of the Pakistani team in limited overs format since the retirement of Misbah-ul-Haq.
Malik’s ability to bowl off-spin also helps his team use him as an all-rounder. He has picked 156 wickets in ODIs as well. Given that he will be 37 years old by the time 2019 World Cup rolls in, Malik’s decision to go out on a bang will give him the encouragement he needs to perform well for the team so that he goes out as a World Cup winner.
HASHIM AMLA (SOUTH AFRICA)
Amla, who has also played 119 Test matches and 44 T20Is matches, will be 36 years old by the time 2019 World Cup comes by. South Africa has never reached the finals of the World Cup, let alone win it and this should be a big enough motivator for Amla to perform to his highest levels in the upcoming showpiece event before he decides to call it time on his illustrious career.
Whatever happens, Hashim Amla will go down in history as one of the greatest modern batsmen to have played the game of cricket.
ROSS TAYLOR (NEW ZEALAND)
Ross Taylor, who made his debut in 2006, is one of the four players to score a century in ODIs on his birthday, a feat he achieved against Pakistan in 2011 World Cup. Taylor has been a mainstay of New Zealand batting since the last decade and has scored 7267 runs with 18 centuries and a best of 181* to his name.
Ross Taylor has been a great influence for the young Kiwi team who are being led by one of the best batsmen in modern times, Kane Williamson and for the team that reached the finals of the World Cup in 2015, the next step is to win the trophy and Taylor will be looking to fulfill the dream that they came so close to achieving in 2015; before calling time on his career.
MS DHONI (INDIA)
Dhoni, who retired from Tests in 2014, recently played his 300th ODI and completed 10,000 runs in the format. He averages 51.25 with a best of 183* and 10 centuries to his name from 321 ODIs.
Despite displaying that his reflexes behind and in front of stumps have not reduced with age, Dhoni has battled dip in form from time to time and his hitting abilities have waned significantly, so much that, India has started to rely on other finishers to do the job.
Dhoni took India to the semi-finals of the 2015 World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, will definitely want to go out on a high in 2019 World Cup, by winning the trophy. As Virat Kohli had revealed that the 2011 World Cup’s motto for the entire Indian team was to ‘win it for Sachin Tendulkar’, the 2019 World Cup’s motto should be ‘win it for MS Dhoni’ and send off one of the greatest Indian cricketers into the sunset with glory.