Former Scotland captain Kyle Coetzer announced his international cricket retirement on March 22, 2023.
Kyle Coetzer Announced International Retirement
Kyle Coetzer captained 86 of his 159 games, leading Scotland to victory 46 times. He was also at the helm of Scotland in one of the greatest moments in their cricketing history when they qualified for the Super 12s of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2021.
He retires from international cricket on a high, after lifting the Cricket World Cup League 2 trophy in Nepal last month. Coetzer stepped down from international captaincy on 3 June 2022. The following month, on 21 July 2022, Coetzer announced his retirement from T20Is.
Kyle Coetzer Retirement Statement
“I don’t ever think there’s a perfect time for a decision like this, but I’ve been considering my options for some time, and an opportunity came up which was too good to turn down.
“The balance that the Scotland team need at this time was outweighed by the opportunity for me to move into coaching, and I’m extremely excited about the chance to work with such a high-profile team. The chance to move straight into the performance game isn’t always there, and I’m fortunate that this opportunity opened up for me at this moment and I can take it on.
“The Northern Diamonds are one of the top sides in the country; they won the Rachael Heyhoe-Flint Trophy at Lord’s last season, and they’ve been performing well in the last couple of years. To be involved with coaching a performance team at that level is really exciting.”
Coetzer played six first-class matches for Durham in the 2004 season, scoring 67 on his first-class debut. Later that year he scored 133* for Scotland in the ICC Inter-Continental Cup Semi-Final against Kenya. His form dropped away in 2005 and 2006, but early season form in 2007 has helped him gain his Durham place back.
“I’ve been so lucky throughout my Scotland career, that it’s tricky to pick out a highlight. Getting our first win in the ICC T20 World Cup against Hong Kong in India in 2016 was special… but then so was the whole of 2018″.
In the 2009 Twenty20 World Cup in England, he was also Scotland’s leading run-scorer in the tournament. On 10 June 2018, he captained Scotland to a six-run win over England in a 50-over ODI at The Grange Club in Edinburgh, scoring 58 runs out of Scotland’s total of 371 for 5.
“The victory against England at The Grange was just amazing. That whole year – Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe, England – just felt like a change of momentum and belief amongst the players about competing against the best teams in the world.
“Reaching the ICC T20 Super 12’s in 2021, having never achieved it before, and being the captain of that squad, will also always stay with me. Creating memories, being around friends, and always finding a way to punch above our weight was just terrific. I’ve always loved the battle of trying to improve against all odds”.
“With both the current squad and past players, it’s all been so special. I must thank all the coaches and teammates and staff, and the support I’ve had from friends and family to help me in my career. There’s been so many people all around the world who have helped me to shape me in my career and will continue to do so.”
In September 2019, he was named as the captain of Scotland’s squad for the 2019 ICC T20 World Cup Qualifier tournament in the United Arab Emirates. In November 2020, Coetzer was nominated for the ICC Men’s Associate Cricketer of the Decade Award.
On 27 December 2020, Coetzer won the ICC Men’s Associate Cricketer of the Decade Award. In September 2021, Coetzer was named the captain of Scotland’s provisional squad for the 2021 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.
Kyle Coetzer played 76 ODIs, 70 T20Is and scored 2915 runs and 1495 runs throughout his career.
READ: SA Allrounder Dane van Niekerk Confirms International Retirement
