Former England captain Heather Knight has announced her retirement from international cricket, concluding a distinguished 16-year career. Batter Tammy Beaumont is also stepping down from England duty after the conclusion of the ongoing Test match against India at Lord's.
Knight, 35, finishes with 320 international appearances, an England women's record. She captained her country in 199 matches over a nine-year tenure, which began after she replaced Charlotte Edwards in 2016. During her captaincy, Knight led England to a memorable World Cup victory at Lord's in 2017. Her international career commenced in 2010.
"I'm extremely grateful and privileged to have gone on the journey that I have been on as an England cricketer," Knight stated. "It's hard to walk away because the dressing room and the people in the dressing room have been a constant in my life for 16 years, and the memories and the experiences and the people have helped shape me become who I am today, but I'm really content with this decision and I'm really excited for what's next."
Knight reflected on her beginnings, saying, "Growing up as a little girl from Devon and playing with the boys, I never thought I'd get to experience this. It feels right to leave the game with this historic Test at Lord's. It's been an amazing 16 years, and I feel so lucky."
The Ashes defeat in 2025 marked the end of her captaincy period, which spanned nine years. Knight's retirement follows Beaumont's decision to step away from international cricket.