Top 12 International cricketers whose injuries ended their careers

Every international cricketer wants his career to go smoothly without any injuries. However, some cricketers haven’t been lucky as their careers not only got hampered due to injuries but got wrapped up as well. The impact of injuries was so grave, that a few players couldn’t return to international cricket. While some made a comeback, their performances weren’t the same.

Saba Karim, who served the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) as General Manager of Cricket Operations, became a victim of an injury during his playing days. Karim, who represented India in 35 international matches (34 One-Day Internationals and a Test, sustained an eye injury while wicketkeeping for India against Bangladesh in 2000. The unfortunate incident ended his career at the age of 33. After this incident, injuries mauled many cricketing careers. 

Here are the 10 cricketers whose careers got folded due to injuries:

12. Mark Boucher

One of the most talented and legendary wicketkeepers of his time, Mark Boucher has been part of numerous memorable dismissals in the game of cricket over the years. There are only a few stumpers who could bat well and at the same time, showed their exemplary skills behind the wickets. South Africa’s most hailed stumper-batter’s impact can be understood by the fact that when he decided to stay away from the game, he was left stranded on a mind boggling 999 international victims behind the stumps.

However, during the England tour of South Africa, while playing a practice game against Somerset County, Boucher’s career got cut short after a bail of the wicket got ricocheted from the stumps and rammed into his eye. As a result, he fell on the ground instantly while hiding his blood dripping eye. In the aftermath, the legendary South African was rushed to the hospital for an emergency eye surgery. Post going under the knife, the next day Boucher revealed that his eye condition was so affected that he would not be able to play international cricket again. Eventually, he retired from international cricket in 2012.

Notably, Boucher had a long career where he represented South Africa in 147 Test cricket while he featured in 295 ODIs and 25 T20Is, respectively. Fascinatingly enough, the 47-year-old also tried his hands at bowling. Not many people know that the legendary wicketkeeper also has a wicket to his name in Test cricket for South Africa. Considering the bowler aspect, his career ended at just 1000-mark milestone in terms of overall dismissals.