Did These Superstars Say Goodbye to Cricket Too Early?

Retirement, a word which could shock an entire fanbase in cricket, has been the final stage of every player’s cricket career so far. Although a few of them can complete their retirement age and leave the game during their 40s, there are a few of them who might have retired early.

Moreover, the year 2025 has been filled with retirements with players such as Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Steven Smith, Glenn Maxwell, Andre Russell, and various others retiring from either some formats or entire international cricket as a whole. At this point, the WCL or World Championship of Legends has gained a lot of popularity among the fans.

This is a T20 tournament where fans would have the opportunity to watch their favourite players, who have retired, perform for their countries at the international stage. The matches taking place in this tournament seem intense, and a bit nostalgic for the cricket fans who have been watching their legends for a long time.

The current edition of WCL has been nothing short of a classic, with every team giving its best to secure the championship. But amidst all this, there have been a few players who have dominated the tournament. What makes it more interesting is that these players announced their retirement from the international format years back. Let’s take a look at the players who seem to have retired a lot earlier than their retirement age.

AB de Villiers

The Alien or Mr 360, AB de Villiers, shocked international cricket when he announced his retirement in 2021. Fans thought that they would not be able to watch him play the game anymore, till he was announced in the squad of South Africa Champions, for the World Championship of Legends.

Marking his comeback to cricket after 4 years, fans were very excited to watch how the Alien is still able to dominate over the aggressive and fierce bowlers. And he has been able to maintain his performances till date, as AB de Villiers holds the top spot in the run scoring charts, having scored 303 runs in 4 matches at an average of 151.50, with 2 centuries and one half-century.

At a strike rate of 231.29, de Villiers showcased why he is called the Mr 360 of cricket and remains irreplaceable. He started with just 3 runs in the match against the West Indies Champions, but no one was aware of the disaster that came next. In the next match against the India Champions, de Villiers smashed 61 runs off just 30 deliveries.

The previous two games showcased his dominance and also highlighted that he might have retired too early from the game. He scored 116 runs against England Champions, which was followed by 123 runs against Australia Champions, all while maintaining a strike rate above 200. Fans still wonder what could have happened if he hadn’t retired and played for the Proteas for a few more years.

Yusuf Pathan

Yusuf Pathan, an all-rounder who ruled as the star of Indian cricket for years, has been a crucial part of the India Champions in the World Championship of Legends. The team has still not been able to win a single match, but Pathan’s contributions have proven to be vital, despite being 42 years in age.

Yusuf Pathan has played three matches for the India Champions and showcased his performances with both bat and ball. In the first match against South Africa Champions, he was able to take the wickets of Sarel Erwee and Wayne Parnell, and conceded just 26 runs, while he was not able to score many runs for the team with the bat.

But in the match against Australia Champions, Pathan unleashed his inner batsman, knowing that he is the one who still holds his name among the fastest fifties in the T20 format. This helped him to score 52 runs in the game against Australia, but still the India Champions were unable to convert his best form into a win.

A similar situation also took place in the match between the India Champions and the English Champions, as Yusuf Pathan scored his consecutive half-century. His efforts still went in vain, as the English batsmen were able to dominate over the Indian bowlers with ease. Having retired from the international format in 2012, Pathan’s form showcases that his form could have helped him to be in the team for several more years.

Shikhar Dhawan

Shikhar Dhawan, also known as Gabbar, announced his retirement from all forms of cricket in 2024. This news surely shocked all the fans, as Dhawan was dominant for the Indian team across the ICC tournaments. Missing his action on the field struck the fans hard, as they waited till the next time they could watch him perform.

Having played 167 ODIs, 34 Tests, and 68 T20Is, his brilliance for India has been extraordinary, as he holds 24 centuries and 55 half-centuries. When he was announced as a part of India Champions, it was finally time for the fans when they would be able to watch Gabbar perform once again on the field.

Shikhar Dhawan didn’t have a good start in the WCL, as he got out for just one run against the South African champions. But in the match against Australia Champions, Shikhar Dhawan left no stone unturned, as he scored 91 runs off 60 balls with 12 fours and one six. Unfortunately, India lost this match against the Australian champions, and Dhawan also missed out on his century.

In the next match against England Champions, Dhawan failed to score well and was dismissed at the score of 17. Till now, Shikhar has scored an impressive total of 109 runs in 3 matches at an average of 54.50, at a strike rate of 136.25. After not receiving many opportunities to play for the Indian cricket team, Dhawan eventually announced his retirement from IPL and domestic cricket in 2024.

Ravi Bopara

Ravi Bopara, who was once a promising all-rounder for England, ended up being one of the most unused talents. He made his last appearance for England in 2015, and almost a decade has passed since fans have seen him in the English jersey. Although he is yet to announce his retirement from international cricket, his presence has been crucial in the veteran leagues.

Bopara represented England in 13 Tests, 120 ODIs, and 38 T20I matches, playing a crucial role with both bat and ball. After a long time, Ravi Bopara finally took the English jersey when he was announced in the squad of England Champions for the World Championship of Legends.

In the El Clásico match against the Australian champions, Bopara played in his classic style and went on to score 36 runs without being out, giving a good start to England. Later, in the matches against the West Indies Champions and the South Africa Champions, Ravi Bopara was not able to find his rhythm, and England also ended up losing both games.

However, in the recent match against India Champions, Ravi Bopara regained his form and scored 110 runs while also taking a wicket in this match. He played a crucial role in England’s Champions League win in this match, and it also suggested to the selectors that they had let go of one of the finest batting all-rounders of the team.

Imran Tahir

There used to be a time when cricket pitches turned into a marathon race, as Imran Tahir, the former Proteas spinner, used to start sprinting whenever he took a wicket. This has been one of the most popular celebrations in cricket history, but he later announced his retirement from international cricket after the 2019 World Cup.

Tahir had played for South Africa in 20 Tests, 107 ODIs, and 38 T20I matches, as he managed to secure 293 wickets across all formats. With his retirement from international format, he got involved in the T20 leagues, and this eventually helped him to get a spot in the South Africa Champions team for the WCL.

He played his first match against the India Champions, where he took the wickets of Yusuf Pathan and Vinay Kumar. And in this match, fans finally got to see him take a sprint in the Proteas jersey after years. Against England Champions also he was dominant, taking the wickets of Eoin Morgan and Moeen Ali, while conceding just 17 runs in four overs.

Recently, the South African Champions went against the Australian Champions, and Tahir shone again in the legendary clash. He started by taking the wickets of Chris Lynn, Rob Quiney, and John Hastings, which played a crucial role in dismantling Australia’s Champions batting line-up.

Piyush Chawla

Undoubtedly, Piyush Chawla will go down in history as one of the most underrated spinners in Indian cricket. He played for the team in 3 Tests, 25 ODIs, and 7 T20I matches, and managed to take a total of 43 wickets in his international career. However, he played his last international match in 2012, and after 13 years, he announced his retirement from all forms of cricket.

At the age of just 36, Piyush Chawla left international and domestic cricket, as fans say, not receiving chances as one of the major reasons behind the same. With his retirement, he also got an opportunity to play once again for the Indian team, but this time in the World Championship of Legends.

In the first match he played against South Africa Champions, he ended up taking the important wickets of Hashim Amla and JP Duminy, while conceding just 31 runs in four overs. Later, in the match against Australia Champions, he took the wickets of Shaun Marsh, D’Arcy Short, and Ben Dunk, marking his best figures in the tournament.

He has been a consistent wicket-taker for India Champions but failed to take any scalps in the recent match against England Champions. With his remarkable consistency over the years, it still seems to the fans that Piyush Chawla said goodbye to cricket much earlier than his retirement age.