Former New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum has announced his retirement from cricket.
In a statement on social media on Monday, the 37-year-old said his playing career will come to an end after the current Global T20 Canada, in which he has been playing for Toronto Nationals.
🏏 Steyn retires from Tests and now Brendon McCullum has confirmed he's set to retire from all forms of cricket
— Sporting Life (@SportingLife) August 5, 2019
😲 Too many highlights for one reel but this IPL knock was McCullum at his big-hitting best
🧢 He'll also be remembered as a fine NZ skipperpic.twitter.com/luMn5NC56B
McCullum, who had been due to play for Glasgow Giants in the Euro T20 Slam starting later this month, said: "My style of cricket has always been full noise, full throttle. From Culling Park to Lord's and everything in between, there has been some wonderful memories.
"Unfortunately, the sacrifices needed and commitment required to play that type of cricket have now become too great.
"I owe it to myself and the teams I represent to close that chapter rather than just plough on regardless of what I know to be true."
The Dunedin-born batsman and former wicketkeeper retired from international cricket in 2016.
McCullum played in 101 Tests, the first coming in 2004, plus 260 one-day internationals and 71 Twenty20 internationals.
He registered 6,453 Test runs, including 12 centuries, and averaged 38.64 - he is third on New Zealand's all-time list of highest Test run-scorers.
He added: "I look back with pride over the way I've played the game and what I've achieved. With New Zealand, we broke boundaries and established a style of play that earned us respect across the world.
"In T20 cricket, I've enjoyed so many varied challenges, I can leave the game knowing I left no stone unturned.
"The next chapter in both media and coaching will challenge me further. I'm sad to leave playing the game I love behind, but I am excited about what the future holds."
