Former Indian middle-order cricketer Veda Krishnamurthy announced her retirement from professional cricket on Friday, July 25. In a statement shared on her social media platforms, the 32-year-old expressed gratitude to everyone who has supported her throughout her journey, including her family, coaches, and teammates.
In an emotional message, Krishnamurthy stated that cricket has given her everything and that it is now time to bid farewell. Nevertheless, the Karnataka cricketer affirmed her readiness to return to the sport and assist Team India.
“A small-town girl with big dreams. From Kadur’s quiet lanes to wearing the India jersey with pride. This game gave me everything joy, pain, purpose, and family. Today, I say goodbye to playing, but not to cricket. To my family, teammates, coaches, friends, and every supporter behind the scenes, thank you. And to the fans, your love, even from afar, meant more than you’ll ever know.”
“y to give back to the game that gave me a life. I played with fire in my heart and pride in every step. Always for the team. Always for India,” said Krishnamurthy.
Krishnamurthy, a key player of the iconic Indian women’s team that reached the 2017 World Cup final, is celebrated for her formidable middle-order batting. Over her 11-year career from 2011 to 2020, Krishnamurthy took part in 124 international matches, comprising 76 WT20Is and 48 WODIs.
At just 18 years old, Krishnamurthy debuted against England, impressively scoring 51 runs. She contributed several crucial innings for the Indian team, notably her 70 runs off 45 balls against Australia in the 2017 World Cup semi-final, which helped India secure a spot in the final.
Until her last international match in the 2020 T20 World Cup final, the 32-year-old remained a reliable member of India’s T20I squad. Krishnamurthy played her final competitive game for the Gujarat Giants against Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the Women’s Premier League. Throughout her career, she accumulated 829 ODI runs at an average of 25.90 and 875 T20I runs at an average of 18.61.