AUCKLAND — New Zealand spin bowler Daniel Vettori, one of only three players to score 4,000 runs and take 300 wickets in Tests, has retired from international cricket.
Vettori, 36, made the announcement at Auckland Airport on Tuesday after arriving home from the final of the Cricket World Cup, which New Zealand lost to Australia in Melbourne on March 29.
Vettori told waiting reporters that the World Cup final was "a lovely way to finish. Obviously, it would've been great to win but I'm really proud of everyone and the way we've gone about things the last six weeks." He retires as New Zealand's most-capped player in tests and one-day internationals. Having made his debut in 1997 at 18 years old, he's spent half his life on the New Zealand team.
"To be able to finish in the final, albeit without a win, I'm just very grateful for the amount of support I had," he said, mentioning captain Brendon McCullum and coach Mike Hesson, specifically. "To be able to get back from a number of injuries and to be here and to be part of it ... is something I'll always treasure."
The left-arm spinner and former New Zealand captain is the country’s most-capped Test player with 113 appearances. He also played a New Zealand-record 295 one-day internationals. Only Vettori, India’s Kapil Dev and England’s Ian Botham have achieved 4,000 runs and 300 wickets in Test cricket.
New Zealand had their most successful World Cup this year where they reached the finals after winning all their games en route. But Australia proved too strong in the final game, after losing earlier to New Zealand in the group stages.
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