Netherlands left-hander Ben Cooper left-hander has decided to part ways with the game at the highest level on January 29, putting an end to his promising career.
Cooper thanked everyone associated with Dutch cricket for their support, without clarifying what the future holds for him.
“Today, I announce my retirement from international cricket. It has been an absolute honour and privilege to don the oranges and represent the Netherlands for the last eight years,”
“It’s been a time filled with amazing highs, special moments and tough lows. There’s nothing I would change about it and will look back at my time with very fond memories.”
the 29-year-old wrote in a statement issued over Twitter.
The cricketer made it a point to thank the Netherlands cricket board for their support throughout his stint at the international stage. He also expressed his gratitude to teammates, coaches and all else involved in the Dutch set-up.
Cooper said he couldn’t have asked for a better set of people to have spent his career with, also stating that he has little doubt that the players part of the current squad and the ones coming through will ensure that the Netherlands remain on path to achieve great things on the field.
Thanks to everyone who’s supported me throughout my journey with @KNCBcricket it’s been unreal but it’s time for me to move on in to the next stage of my life. pic.twitter.com/aBS8FPHmwC
— Ben N Cooper (@bencooper_32) January 29, 2022
As it turned out, Netherlands’ final outing in their disappointing campaign of the T20 World Cup 2021 proved to be Cooper’s last appearance at the international stage.
Born in the state of New South Wales in Australia, Cooper represented the Netherlands in as many as 71 games – 13 ODIs and 58 T20Is – at the highest level from his debut in August 2013 against Canada.
Rare and irregular opportunities in 50-overs cricket meant that the format never quite saw Cooper at his best. But he certainly gave T20Is his best shot.
The batter retires from the shortest format as the Netherlands’ highest ever run-getter with 1,239 runs at a strike-rate of a shade below 125. His tally included nine half-centuries with a best of 91 not out.
