NEW DELHI: Bowling all-rounder David Willey, who recently announced his retirement from international cricket at the end of the ongoing One-Day International World Cup in India, expressed his feelings of being "upset, angry, and disappointed" after not being awarded a central contract with England. His exclusion from the contract made the decision to retire much simpler for the 33-year-old cricketer.
Willey, a left-arm fast-medium bowler, was not offered a central contract when the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) announced their new contract list last month. This absence of a contract means that he is now free to participate in various franchise-based cricket leagues around the world.
Speaking to Sky Sports on Friday, Willey candidly expressed his emotions about being overlooked, stating, "Upset, angry, disappointed. I think that, for me, made my decision a lot easier." He further revealed that contract discussions had taken place before the team departed for the World Cup and he was aware that he was the only player without a central contract.
Willey has represented England in 70 One-Day Internationals and 43 Twenty20 Internationals since his international debut in 2015. He has been a crucial figure for the team, contributing with both bat and ball.
When questioned about his decision to retire at this moment, Willey mentioned, "Towards the back end of the summer, I knew it was coming. And I just feel that there's not very many opportunities in cricket to walk away when the time is right for you."
He recalled a recent match against India in the ongoing World Cup as a defining moment, saying, "That game against India, in front of a full crowd, in a World Cup: I walked out to bat, there was a strobe light show going on and, as I walked down the steps, I thought 'I'm done'."
Willey's announcement comes at a challenging time for England, with their title defense in the World Cup faltering. They currently find themselves at the bottom of the points table after five defeats in six matches. Their next match is against arch-rivals Australia, who are in third place, and the contest will take place in Ahmedabad later on Saturday.
(With inputs from Reuters)
