England World Cup winner Alex Hartley announces retirement

England's experienced left-arm spinner Alex Hartley will retire from professional cricket at the end of the ongoing women's Hundred tournament, she confirmed on Tuesday, August 23. She is playing for Welsh Fire women, who are currently placed second in the points table with 11 points. 

Earlier in 2023, she took a break from the game, indicating she was "struggling mentally" while playing in regional cricket for Thunder. He also revealed that she has lost confidence in her bowling and keenness for the sport. However, the 2017 ODI World Cup winner returned to action with The Hundred, picking up two wickets in three games at an average of 35.00 for the Tammy Beaumont-led side.

"I'm hanging my boots up - I am officially retiring from cricket. I've absolutely loved it at Welsh Fire, every single second of it. The staff have been really supportive, they've been great over the last month. And I don't want to play 50-over cricket!" Hartley said on No Balls, the BBC podcast she co-hosts with Kate Cross.

"I'm really, really excited. I'm going to really miss it. I'm going to be really sad - but it's right, isn't it? I've been thinking about it for ages," the 29-year-old added.

Hartley, who made her international debut in June 2016, has played 28 ODIs and four T20Is, picking up 39 and three wickets, respectively. The World Cup win in 2017 remains the biggest highlight of her international career. The 29-year-old has played nine games in the ICC (International Cricket Council) global event and finished as England's second-highest wicket-taker with 10 scalps, including the crucial wicket of India skipper Harmanpreet Kaur in the final at the Lord's Cricket Ground.

Sophie Ecclestone;s rise as England's leading left-arm spinner which cost Hartley her place. Notably, she even lost her central contract in late 2019. However, she continued to play for Thunder in domestic cricket and Manchester Originals in the first season of The Hundred, before joining Welsh Fire in 2022.