Correspondent, 16 October: Scotland fast bowler Brad Wheal, known for dismissing Rohit Sharma during a World Cup, has announced his sudden retirement from professional cricket at the age of 30. The veteran player, who carries the experience of four T20 World Cups, shocked the cricketing community by revealing his decision on Friday.
Wheal explained that the difficult choice was forced upon him by recurrent physical setbacks. "I have thoroughly enjoyed my time at Hampshire and representing Scotland as a professional cricketer. But due to recurring injuries, I have unfortunately had to make the decision to retire," he stated. While acknowledging that stepping away was not easy, he emphasized that he is completely satisfied with his decision.
Elaborating on the severity of his physical condition, he added, "I have had four stress fractures in my back and also had surgery on my knee. Overall, my body can no longer handle the demands of fast bowling." Wheal noted that getting the opportunity to play for Scotland has been a matter of extreme importance and pride for both himself and his family. He expressed feeling fortunate to represent his nation across four World Cups, which provided him with numerous incredible experiences.
Born in Africa, Wheal made his international debut for Scotland in 2016 against Hong Kong. Notably, he had been included in the Scotland squad selected for the 2026 T20 World Cup, which is slated to be held in India. However, his appearance in the recently concluded T20 World Cup ultimately served as the final match of his career.
"Along this journey, I have made many good friends and shared a dressing room with the best people, which I will miss the most," he remarked. He extended special gratitude to his long-time teammates, coaches, support staff, and the fans who traveled from across the globe to support him. Wheal also assured that he would continue to keep an eye on the boys in the team and support them from the outside.
Over the course of his international career, Wheal featured in 18 ODIs and 26 T20 matches. Bowling in 17 ODI innings, he claimed 27 wickets at an average of 23.07, recording best figures of 3/34. In 25 T20 innings, he secured 24 wickets at an economy rate of 8.60, with a best performance of 3/20. Meanwhile, 'Cricket Scotland' confirmed his retirement through an X (Twitter) post dated October 16, 2026, thanking him for his outstanding contributions and wishing him well for his future endeavors.
