Dublin, Dec 12 (UNI) Ireland all-rounder Sophie MacMahon has announced her retirement from representative cricket.
The 28-year-old, who made 45 appearances for her country, last featured in a T20I against Zimbabwe in July this year.
“It is a tough decision to decide to retire but I feel like the time is right for me. I have given so much of my life to cricket and representing my country in the sport I love will be something I’ll always treasure. My dream as a child was to be a professional cricketer and I never believed that dream would come true, so I feel very fortunate,” said MacMahon.
According to the International Cricket Council (ICC), MacMahon made her international debut in an ODI against England in 2017 and went on to claim a total of 21 wickets across the two formats. Her best T20I bowling performance came against Thailand, where she delivered an impressive spell of 2/13
“I’m extremely thankful to all the staff and coaches at Cricket Ireland for their support over the years, especially the support staff I worked with in the women’s programme. I would also like to thank my family for their support and encouragement throughout my cricket journey,” she said.
“I’m so grateful for the opportunities I’ve had while playing for Ireland, in particular the places I’ve got to visit and the people I’ve met. The best part about my journey has been my teammates along the way and I will miss being part of such an incredible squad – but I know I’ve made friends for life.” added MacMahon.
Ireland captain Gaby Lewis highlighted the crucial role Sophie MacMahon has played in the team since her debut and wished her the very best for the future.
“Sophie has been a crucial part of our squad for the last eight years. She’s been with this group through a major transitional period and has played a big role in shaping the team we are today,” she said.
“We’ll miss not only her cricketing ability, but also her personality and the care she’s always shown for the people around her. I know I can speak on behalf of the whole team when I say
she’ll be greatly missed, and we wish her all the very best in her next chapter,” Lewis added.
MacMahon was one of seven players to receive the first-ever full-time playing contracts for Ireland Women in 2019. She will also step away from domestic representative cricket in the \\Evoke Super Series, but will continue playing club cricket for Leinster Cricket Club.
Ireland all-rounder Sophie MacMahon calls time on international career
