Wellington. New Zealand cricket team’s experienced fast bowler Neil Wagner has said goodbye to international cricket. He finally took the difficult decision to end his 12 year long career. He had tears in his eyes while bidding farewell after playing his last Test against South Africa. Fast bowler Neil Wagner retired from Test cricket at the age of 37.
Born in South Africa, Wagner played 64 Test matches for New Zealand in which he took 260 wickets at an average of 37. He is fifth in the list of bowlers taking most wickets in Test cricket for New Zealand. This left-arm fast bowler was unlikely to get a place in the New Zealand team for the first Test match against Australia starting on Thursday and he announced his retirement from five Tests.
Wagner made his Test cricket debut in 2012 and was an important part of New Zealand’s most successful era. He played an important role in helping the team win the World Test Championship title in 2022. Of the 64 Test matches that Wagner played, New Zealand won 34. Wagner came to New Zealand from South Africa in 2008 and made his mark in first-class cricket for Otago province.
Wagner had a memorable performance at the Basin Reserve last year when he led New Zealand to a one-run win over England. Wagner then took four wickets for 62 runs, including the last wicket of James Anderson.
“This week has been emotional,” Wagner said Tuesday. It is not easy to walk away from something that has given you so much but now is the time to give others a chance and take the team forward. I have enjoyed every moment of my Test cricket for New Zealand and am proud of what we have achieved as a team.”
