Kevin O'Brien confirms Ireland ODI retirement

The 37-year-old admits to losing motivation to play the 50-over format but will continue to be available for Tests and T20s

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Kevin O'Brien has played his final one-day international for Ireland after admitting to losing motivation to play the format.

The 37-year-old has struggled in the 50-over game in recent years and has gone 25 months without a half-century, leading to the decision to retire.

Across five ODIs against the United Arab Emirates, Afghanistan and Netherlands in the first half of 2021, O'Brien has averaged just 5.40 and has scored 129 runs in his last 11 innings.

Confirmation of the news comes ahead of a home international summer which includes ODI and T20 series against South Africa and Zimbabwe.

O'Brien still plans to be available for future Tests and 20-over internationals but considered it unfair to continue to pursue ODI opportunities.

"It has been an honour and a privilege to represent my country 153 times and the memories I take from them will last a lifetime.”

Ireland's Kevin O'Brien has announced his retirement from ODI cricket ☘️

Relive *that* innings 👀pic.twitter.com/KDp0o1EJ5Q

— The Cricketer (@TheCricketerMag) June 18, 2021

"This has not been an easy decision, but after ongoing consideration, I don’t feel I can contribute to the ODI team as much as I have in the past. 

"The hunger and love for the ODI format is no longer the same as it was."

The highlight of a 15-year ODI career during which he amassed 3,618 runs came against England at the 2011 World Cup when a record-breaking unbeaten 113 helped produce one of the great shocks in the competition's history.

Men's captain Andrew Balbirnie added: "He’s consistently put in the big performances on the biggest stages, and he’ll always be remembered for that amazing world cup innings in 2011 – and that innings alone probably gave many of us the opportunity to become professional cricketers in Ireland.

"I’m delighted that he’ll still be playing T20s and Test cricket for Ireland because he’s a big player in those formats and I have no doubt he will make many more contributions in those formats of the game."

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