SOUTH AFRICAN BATTER MIGNON DU PREEZ ANNOUNCES RETIREMENT FROM ODIS, TESTS

South African batter Mignon du Preez has announced her retirement from ODI and Test cricket in order to concentrate on the T20I format, as well as to spend more time with her family.

Du Preez represented South Africa in 154 ODIs, scoring 3,760 runs at an average of 32.98 with two centuries and 18 fifties. She also played one Test match, scoring 119 runs at an average of 59.50 with one century. Having made her ODI debut in 2007, the 32-year old last played in the recently-concluded 2022 ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup, helping South Africa reach the semi-finals. She played eight matches in the tournament, scoring 161 runs, including a half-century against India in a crunch league clash.

Du Preez announced her decision via a statement on social media. “I’ve been wonderfully fortunate to play in four ICC ODI World Cups to date,” the statement read. “These have been some of my most treasured memories in life. I would however love to prioritise time with my family, and hopefully start a family of my own soon.”

“I feel the time is right to announce my retirement from the longer format of the game and focus my attention on T20 cricket going forward. Thus, I decided to retire from ODI cricket at the completion of our recent World Cup in New Zealand. I feel South African women’s cricket is in a very healthy state and the time is right to step away and allow the next generation of exciting cricketers to continue to grow this beautiful game of ours.”

She expressed her gratitude towards Cricket South Africa, adding, “I would like to take a moment to thank everyone at Cricket South Africa and the Board for their continuous support during my ODI career. I am extremely grateful for the honour to have represented my country in 154 ODI games and also for the opportunity to have captained my country at the highest level. “Lastly, I would like to thank our management and my teammates for making my ODI journey a memorable one,” she signed off.