RETIREMENT NEWS
Veda Krishnamurthy played her last game for India in the final of the Women’s T20 World Cup , 2020 © Getty
India cricketer Veda Krishnamurthy announced her retirement from all cricket on Friday (July 25). Veda was a part of the Indian team that finished runners-up to England in the 2017 World Cup and to Australia in the 2020 T20 World Cup.
“A small-town girl with big dreams. That’s how it all started in Kadur,” Veda wrote in her retirement note posted on social media. “I picked up a bat not knowing where it would take me. But I knew I loved the game. I never imagined it would take me this far from narrow streets to the biggest stadiums, from quiet hopes to proudly wearing the Indian jersey. Cricket gave me so much more than just a career. It gave me a sense of who I am. It taught me how to fight, how to fall and how to keep showing up.
“Today, with a full heart, I’m calling time on this chapter.”
An aggressive middle-order batter, Veda played 48 ODIs and 76 T20Is for India. She last represented the country in the 2020 T20 World Cup final at the MCG, while her last ODI for India was nearly two years before that, in April 2018 against the visiting England side. Veda retires with 829 runs and three wickets in the 50-overs format, and 875 runs in the shortest format.
“To my parents and siblings, especially my sister, thank you for being my first team and my constant strength. To my coaches, captains and mentors, thank you for shaping me.
“To BCCI, thank you for trusting me with the honour of representing India. To KSCA, Railways and KIOC, thank you for giving me the space to grow.
“To my teammates, you made every bit of this journey worth it. We’ve shared everything – wins, losses and laughs that will stay with me forever. You were never just teammates. You were family. To my friends, thank you for being there, especially when no one was watching.
“Captaining Karnataka and Railways was an honour I’ll always hold close. Those teams shaped me, challenged me, and gave me space to lead with heart. And India… nothing comes to the feeling of wearing that jersey. The anthem, the Adrenaline, the pride – it lives in your bones forever.
“And 2017… what a year to be part of a World Cup that changed how people saw women’s cricket in India. I’ll always be proud of that.
“To the physios, trainers, seelctors, and every single person who worked behind the scenes, thank you.”
A terrific fielder, Veda holds the joint record for the highest number of catches by a non-wicketkeeper in a Women’s T20I.
Veda turned a commentator and broadcaster after being overlooked for the national side and subsequently in the inaugural auction of the Women’s Premier League. She made her WPL debut for Gujarat Giants in the second edition, in 2024, but wasn’t retained for the third season. She made 22 runs in four innings at GG. Veda also played a season of the Women’s Big Bash League for the Hobart Hurricanes in 2017-18, scoring 144 runs in nine innings.
Veda said she’s now open to any role “to give back” to the game.
“This game gave me everything. And I’ll always be grateful for it. Now it’s time to give back. Whatever the role, whatever the way, I’m here for the game. I truly believe this second innings will be just as meaningful.
“I played with fire in my heart and pride in every step. Always for the team. Always for India.”
© Cricbuzz
