Ireland's Kevin O'Brien ends ODI career

Ireland's Kevin O'Brien, whose century against England in a 2011 World Cup match remains the fastest hundred in the tournament's history, has quit ODIs.

Published : Jun 18, 2021 18:03 IST

Kevin O'Brien of Ireland celebrates with Niall O'Brien at the end of the 2011 ICC World Cup Group B match between England and Ireland at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore, India.

Ireland all-rounder Kevin O'Brien, whose century against England in a 2011 World Cup match remains the fastest hundred in the tournament's history, has quit one-day internationals, Cricket Ireland said on Friday.

O'Brien wrote his name in the record books with a 50-ball century in Bangalore 10 years ago when Ireland beat England by three wickets, chasing down a 328-run victory target with five balls to spare.

O'Brien smashed 113, clobbering six sixes in his 63-ball blitz, in the defining knock of his ODI career.

READ: Kevin O’Brien equals record for most sixes hit in a year in T20Is

"After 15 years playing for Ireland, I feel now is the right time to step away and retire from ODI cricket," O'Brien said in a statement issued by Cricket Ireland.

"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," added the player who will be available for test and T20 cricket.

The 37-year-old's 3619 runs is the third highest from his country and he is Ireland's leading wicket-taker with 114 scalps in one-day internationals.

His father Brendan and elder brother Niall also played for Ireland.