One of the game's fastest bowlers has played her final game for South Africa but will continue on the global T20 circuit
'True icon': Ismail retires from international cricket
Fast bowler Shabnim Ismail has announced her retirement from international cricket, in a big blow for recent Twenty20 World Cup finalists South Africa.
The African nation had relied heavily on the pace and guile of the quickest bowler in the women's game.
Ismail, 34, played in 241 international matches across one-day Internationals, Twenty20s and Tests, and last appeared in February's World Cup-final loss to Australia at Newlands.
She broke the record for the fastest ball recorded in women's cricket during that tournament when she was clocked at 128 kph (80 mph) against England in the semi-finals.
Ismail will continue to play in domestic T20 leagues around the world, meaning Australian fans should get to see her back in action in the WBBL having previously represented Sydney Thunder and Melbourne Renegades.
"After 16 years proudly representing my country, I have come to the difficult decision to retire from international cricket and move on to the next chapter of my life," Ismail said in a statement on Wednesday.
"I really believe that reducing the amount of cricket I play will enable me to do this, and playing in global leagues is the only way I see to be able to fit in both family and cricket."
Ismail's 191 wickets in ODIs is second only to India's Jhulan Goswami (255) on the all-time list.
Her retirement follows that of a trio of South African stalwarts from the last 15 years in former captains Dane van Niekerk and Mignon du Preez, and batter Lizelle Lee.
“Today we bid farewell to a true icon of not only women’s cricket but the game in general during an international career that spanned more than 16 years as she led the line with ball in hand and rose to become one of South Africa’s most lethal bowlers," Cricket South Africa chief executive Pholetsi Moseki said.