Mark Wood retires from England after knee injury ends Ashes comeback

England fast bowler Mark Wood, 36, has retired from international cricket with immediate effect after a prolonged battle with injuries. Medical advice ruled out further Test and 50-over cricket, while his central contract was ending; his final appearance came in the 2025-26 Ashes opener in Perth, where a knee injury ended his comeback after 11 overs. Wood finishes with 253 international wickets: 119 in 38 Tests, 80 in 70 ODIs and 54 in 38 T20Is. Known for regularly exceeding 150 kph, he played key roles in England’s 2019 ODI World Cup and 2022 T20 World Cup victories, taking 18 and nine wickets respectively, and contributed to Ashes successes in 2015 and 2023. Wood called playing for England the greatest honour of his career and said he hoped to continue playing cricket in some capacity.