England fast bowler Mark Wood has announced his retirement from international cricket, bringing an end to a career that featured extreme pace, memorable Ashes performances and two World Cup triumphs.
The 36-year-old represented England across all three formats and established himself as one of the fastest bowlers of his generation. Wood's international journey was repeatedly interrupted by injuries, but he returned on several occasions to play important roles for England.
According to the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), Wood finishes his international career with 119 wickets in 38 Tests, 80 wickets in 70 ODIs and 54 wickets in 38 T20 Internationals. That gives him 253 international wickets from 146 appearances.
His retirement also closes the chapter on a career that included England's historic 2019 ODI World Cup victory and its 2022 T20 World Cup triumph.
Mark Wood Made His England Debut in 2015
Wood's international career began in 2015. He made his Test debut against New Zealand at Lord's and soon became recognised for a quality that set him apart from many other fast bowlers—genuine pace.
Capable of regularly troubling batters with high-speed deliveries, Wood provided England with a different type of fast-bowling option.
His pace, energetic run-up and aggressive approach made him an important part of England's bowling attack whenever he was fit.
Over the course of his career, however, injuries repeatedly presented challenges. Wood underwent difficult rehabilitation periods but returned several times to international cricket.
Mark Wood's International Career in Numbers
| Format | Matches | Wickets |
|---|---|---|
| Tests | 38 | 119 |
| ODIs | 70 | 80 |
| T20 Internationals | 38 | 54 |
| Total | 146 | 253 |
Wood retires as England Men's sixth-highest wicket-taker in T20 Internationals, according to the ECB.
Key Role in England's 2019 World Cup Victory
One of the biggest moments of Wood's international career came during the 2019 ICC Men's Cricket World Cup, which England won on home soil.
Wood collected 18 wickets during the tournament and regularly exceeded 95mph with the ball. He was therefore an important part of England's pace attack during the title-winning campaign.
His commitment was particularly evident in the World Cup final. According to the ECB, Wood continued bowling at full pace despite suffering a side strain during the match.
England eventually secured their first men's ODI World Cup title after a dramatic final against New Zealand at Lord's.
Another World Cup Title Arrived in 2022
Three years later, Wood became a world champion for the second time when England won the 2022 ICC Men's T20 World Cup in Australia.
Wood claimed nine wickets from four matches during that tournament. His pace again gave England an attacking option, particularly on Australian pitches.
England went on to lift the trophy, adding another major global title to Wood's international record.
Memorable Ashes Performances
Wood also played in four Ashes series during his England career.
His first Ashes campaign came in 2015. At Trent Bridge, Wood took the wicket that confirmed England had regained the Ashes.
Another major contribution came during the 2023 series against Australia.
England entered the Headingley Test trailing 2-0 in the series, but Wood produced an influential performance as the hosts fought back. England ultimately recovered to finish the five-Test series level at 2-2.
His performances in those contests helped make his combination of pace and aggression one of the distinctive features of England's attack.
Why Did Mark Wood Retire?
Wood said the timing felt natural as he reached the end of his England contract.
More importantly, injuries had increasingly affected his ability to continue playing international cricket. In his retirement statement, Wood explained that he had repeatedly tried to recover and return from setbacks, but this time the situation was different.
He said medical advice meant that continuing in Test and 50-over international cricket was no longer possible. Over the previous year, he felt his prospects of representing England had gradually slipped away.
His one-year England central contract for the 2025-26 period had been scheduled to run until September 30, 2026.
Wood Reflects on Representing England
While announcing his decision, Wood described representing England as the greatest honour he could have wished for.
He reflected on being able to travel around the world, meet people through cricket and compete alongside and against some of the game's leading players. Despite the injuries that interrupted his career, his retirement statement underlined how highly he valued his years representing his country.
England Men's Managing Director Rob Key also praised Wood's career, highlighting his impact in Ashes campaigns, England's two World Cup victories and the excitement his pace generated whenever he had the ball.
Wood therefore leaves international cricket with 146 appearances, 253 wickets and two World Cup winners' medals, alongside a series of memorable performances in Test and white-ball cricket.
