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Veteran New Zealand batter Ross Taylor announced on Thursday that he will be retiring at the end of the Kiwis' current home season.
He is set to play two Tests against Bangladesh and then the ODI series against Australia and the Netherlands.
Taking to Twitter, Taylor wrote:
"Today I'm announcing my retirement from international cricket at the conclusion of the home summer, two more tests against Bangladesh, and six odi’s against Australia & the Netherlands. Thank you for 17 years of incredible support. It’s been an honour to represent my country."
Speaking on a video released by New Zealand Cricket, Taylor said:
"It's been an amazing journey and I feel incredibly fortunate to have represented my country for as long as I have. It's been such a privilege to play with and against some of the greats of the game and to have created so many memories and friendships along the way."
Taylor will leave the game as a certified New Zealand legend. He is their highest run-scorer in Tests as well as ODIs. In 233 ODIs, Taylor has scored 8581 runs at an average of 48.20 and strike rate of 83.41.
He has 21 centuries and 51 half-centuries to his name in the 50-over format. He would like to add to those numbers in the six ODIs he still has left for New Zealand.
Needless to say, he has played several match-winning knocks for the Kiwis in ODIs.
Here are Ross Taylor's top 3 knocks in ODIs:
#3 109* vs India, 2020
India began their tour of New Zealand in 2020 on a positive note, blanking the hosts 5-0 in the T20 International (T20I) series. Then, in the first of three ODIs, they looked to continue their winning ways. They scored 347/4 thanks to a Shreyas Iyer century and 50s from KL Rahul and Virat Kohli.
Coming in to bat at 109/2, Ross Taylor then anchored New Zealand's chase brilliantly with an 84-ball 109. He first put on a 62-run stand with opener Henry Nicholls and then a match-winning partnership of 138 with Tom Latham. This propelled New Zealand to their highest chase ever in ODIs.
It was also the second-highest total chased against India in ODIs.
With captain and talismanic batter Kane Williamson ruled out of the series with injury, Taylor stepped up and how, hitting 10 boundaries and four sixes.
Taylor swept and slogged beautifully as New Zealand reached their target with 11 deliveries to spare.
#2 131* vs Pakistan, 2011
In the 2011 World Cup Group Stage match against Pakistan in Pallekele, Ross Taylor played one of his most destructive knocks for New Zealand.
Taylor came in to bat with the scoreline reading 55/2 after 12.3 overs and struggled initially to find his timing.
However, he kept grinding and after 46 overs, he was on 76 off 111 deliveries, with the team at 210/6. But then, he turned on the style in a fashion no one could have imagined.
In the 47th over, he smashed three sixes and two boundaries off Shoaib Akhtar, bringing up his century in the process.
Jacob Oram faced the next over and in the 49th, Taylor took 30 runs off Abdul Razzaq, hitting another three sixes and two boundaries.
He did not face a single delivery in the final over, but by then he had done enough damage.
He ended up scoring 55 runs off his final 13 deliveries, helping power New Zealand to 302/7 at the end of 50 overs.
They bowled Pakistan out for 192 to register a 110-run win.
#1 181* vs England, 2018
New Zealand were 2-1 down in the five-match ODI series against England in 2018 when they came to Dunedin. They faced a steep challenge when the visitors set them a target of 336, courtesy of centuries from Jonny Bairstow and Joe Root.
Things went from bad to worse when they lost two wickets in the first three overs, bringing Ross Taylor to the crease.
But New Zealand's greatest ever ODI batter put on a masterful display to help the Kiwis level the series, despite playing with an injured leg.
Taylor first put on an 84-run partnership with Kane Williamson (45) to steady the ship for New Zealand. He and Tom Latham then put on a crucial 187-run stand as they chipped away at the target.
New Zealand went on to win with three deliveries to spare thanks to Taylor's all-time highest score in ODIs.
He smashed 17 boundaries and six sixes in his 147-ball classic.
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