England World Cup hero RETIRES from international cricket with immediate effect just three days after Ashes icon Stuart Broad and former white ball team-mate

England batter Alex Hales has announced his retirement from all international cricket with immediate effect. 

A divisive figure within English cricket, Hales made his return to the international set-up ahead of the T20 World Cup in Australia as a replacement for the injured Jonny Bairstow. 

His recall to the side with star opener Bairstow sidelined with a freak ankle injury brought an end to a three-year exile from international cricket. 

The player had failed a recreational drugs test, with then-white ball captain Eoin Morgan leaving him out of his squads. 

He had been included in the squad for his country’s seismic 2019 ODI World Cup win in a storied match that came amid England’s dominance over the short-forms of the game, but pulled out for personal reasons in April 2019.

Alex Hales has announced his retirement from international cricket with immediate effect

Hales made a crucial 86 not out as he and captain Jos Buttler chased down India’s 168 in the World Cup semi final for the loss of no wicket 

It later transpired that the failed drugs test was the reason for his absence, sparking his long exile, with Morgan citing a ‘complete breakdown in trust’.

Hales announced that he would be drawing an end to his international career on Instagram, writing: ‘Throughout my time in an England shirt I’ve experienced some of the highest highs as well as some of the lowest lows.

‘It’s been an incredible journey and I feel very content that my last game for England was winning a World Cup final.

‘Throughout the ups and down I’ve always felt a huge amount of support from my friends, family and undoubtedly the best fans in world cricket.

‘I look forward to continuing to play for Notts and exploring more franchise cricket around the world.’

As well as winning the tournament under Jos Buttler, Hales made 4493 runs in white ball cricket in an 11-year international career, amassing seven hundreds and 26 half-centuries across both white ball formats.

Hales is one of the sport’s best-travelled batters, and his franchise career is set to continue, with the batter currently on the books at Trent Rockets in The Hundred, and has featured most recently for Sydney Thunder in the BBL and Karachi Kings in the PSL.

He also holds several batting records, including becoming the first man to hit a T20I century for England and holds the country’s record highest score in the shortest format of the game, hitting a 116 against Sri Lanka in the 2014 World Cup.

Arguably the greatest achievement of his long international career came in Australia at the tail end of last year, when he scored a vital 212 runs to lead his country to victory, though he was out second ball in the final.

But the round before he and captain Buttler chased down India’s total of 168 without the loss of a single wicket, with the Notts batter hitting an unbeaten 86. 

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