South African all-rounder Jean-Paul Duminy, famously known as JP Duminy, has announced his retirement from cricket on Monday (13th January).
The 35-year-old all-rounder JP Duminy played international cricket for around 15 years. After the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019, he announced his retirement from the international cricket. He played 46 Tests, 199 ODIs and 81 T20Is where the left-handed batsman scored 2,103 runs (average 32.85), 5,117 runs (average 36.81) and 1,934 runs (average 38.68) respectively. Also, as an off-spinner, Duminy scalped 42 Test wickets, 69 ODI wickets and 21 T20I wickets.
JP Duminy is the only South African bowler to claim a hat-trick in the ICC Cricket World Cup history. Meanwhile, he was the second South African bowler to claim an ODI hat-trick.
I don’t know what’s next – JP Duminy
Now, JP Duminy has decided to retire from cricket. While he feels that he is fit enough to continue the game, but he has no strong purpose of continuing it.
Duminy said, “My drivers have always been if there is a purpose. When it came to South Africa there was a higher purpose and the kids that look up to you. My ambition is to make it known to younger players about that responsibility. It is great to be free and young, but to also be aware of what you do has consequences. “With great power comes great responsibility”. And playing international cricket you had a degree of purpose.
“I am young enough to play and still earn money from the franchise game, but I am lacking a strong purpose with that. I played CPL and Canadian Premier League. I found at the CPL there is hunger for young players to seek out older players. I don’t know what’s next. I had to take a bold step of closing a door before I could open the next door.”
JP Duminy was playing professional cricket from 2001/02 season. His last cricket match was in the Qualifier 2 of the Caribbean Premier League 2019 where his Barbados Tridents beat Trinbago Knight Riders. He played 108 first-class matches, 274 List A games and 264 T20s where he scored 6,774 runs, 7,478 runs and 6,397 runs respectively and also took 77, 93 and 78 wickets respectively.
JP Duminy also played in Indian Premier League (IPL) between 2009 and 2018. In this period, he served for Mumbai Indians (2009-2010 and 2018), Deccan Chargers (2011-2012), Sunrisers Hyderabad (2013) and Delhi Daredevils (2014-2017). Duminy played in 83 IPL matches where he scored 2,029 runs (average 39.78) and also took 23 wickets. He also led in 16 IPL matches, all for Delhi Daredevils (2015-2016).
JP Duminy will play the commentator role in the upcoming ICC U19 Cricket World Cup 2020 which South Africa will host between 17th January and 9th February 2020.