England seamer and former Kolkata Knight Riders pacer Harry Gurney announced his retirement from cricket after taking 614 all-format wickets during his career in the professional game. The Nottinghamshire pacer bowed out as a result of the shoulder injury that saw him miss the club’s 2020 T20 Blast campaign. “The time has arrived for me to hang up my boots. After trying to recover from the recent injury to my shoulder, I am truly disappointed to have to end my playing career as a result of it,” Gurney captioned a post on Instagram to announce his retirement.

“From the first time I picked up a cricket ball at the age of ten, I was completely obsessed. Cricket has been my life for 24 years and has taken me on an incredible journey that I will cherish forever.

“Playing for England, in the IPL and winning eight trophies at home and abroad including the Blast, Big Bash and CPL has exceeded my wildest dreams.

“I always prepared for leaving cricket and I have discovered a new path in business that gives me the same excitement that I felt when I discovered the game all those years ago,” he added.

“That is a path I will now go down with immediate effect, as I have found this injury recovery too much of a mountain to climb,” he wrote in the Instagram post.

“There have been so many big influences on my career; Dan Christian, Mick Newell, Andrew Macdonald, Wayne Noon, Andy Pick, Pete Moores and Tom Harwood to name just a few.

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“I’ve had an incredible time, on and off the field, sharing a pitch and a dressing room with teammates who have become friends for life.

“But to my family, and particularly my dad, John, I owe the biggest thanks. He has been an unwavering support from my first ball to my last. Making him and my entire family proud, has been by far my biggest source of joy,” the pacer added.