Ashes 2023: Stuart Broad signs off international career with unique record

England fast bowler Stuart Broad had a fairytale ending to his 17-year-long career as he signed off in style at the Oval on Monday, July 31. The 37-year-old left the cricketing fraternity stunned announcing his sudden retirement post stumps on Day 3 of the fifth Test. Walking into bat on Day 4, Broad got a rousing applause from the crowd and also received a ‘guard of honour’ from the Australian side.

To make the moment even grander, the southpaw smacked Mitchell Starc for a maximum in the very first over of the day which also turned out to be his last ball as a batter in international cricket. Furthermore, he also picked up the last wicket of the Australian innings making Alex Carey edge to wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow and winning the Test for his side.

As a result, Broad signed off with a staggering 604 wickets in Tests and became the first player in the history of the format to hit a six and take a wicket on the final balls of his career. Notably, he also ranks on the fifth spot in the list for the most number of sixes by an England batter in Tests having cleared the fence on 55 occasions.

Final shot 🙌
Final delivery ☝️@StuartBroad8, what a way to go out 🤝 #EnglandCricket | #Ashes pic.twitter.com/Z5FQ7Dvoc4

— England Cricket (@englandcricket) August 1, 2023

The Nottingham-born seamer is also the fifth-highest wicket-taker in Tests with 604 scalps and second-highest among seamers. Furthermore, he also has two hat-tricks to his name as icing on the cake. 

Broad finished as the second-highest wicket-taker of Ashes 2023

Broad accumulated 22 wickets in the Ashes 2023 from five matches and was the second-highest wicket-taker of the series behind Mitchell Starc (23 wickets).

After picking wickets of Usman Khawaja and Travis Head in the first innings in the fifth Test, he went wicketless in the second innings till the third session on Day 5. With England just two wickets away from a win, captain Ben Stokes threw the ball towards Broad for one final time as he came steaming in for the final burst of his career. He ended up delivering a remarkable spell of 2/22 in 6.4 overs and won the game for his side to level the series 2-2.