Joe Denly to retire from professional cricket after 2026 season

Joe Denly has announced he will retire from professional cricket at the end of the 2026 season.

Farewell timingThe 2026 season will be Denly’s last as a professional cricketer before he steps away from the game. Denly has played for Kent and England across formats. He’s known as a dependable top-order batter and handy leg-spinner. He’ll see out the rest of 2026 with his county before bringing the curtain down on his pro career.

Having spent three years at Middlesex between 2012-14, he returned to his home county for more silverware in 2021, claiming figures of 3 for 31 in the Vitality Blast final against Somerset, before captaining the club to the Metro Bank One-Day Cup with victory over Lancashire in 2022.

On the England front, Denly's was a career of two halves. His initial involvement came as a one-day batter in 2009, although he later joined a select band of cricketers to have claimed a wicket with their first ball in international cricket, and he went on to feature in England's run to the Champions Trophy semi-final in South Africa.

Long exile

Denly was dropped from England in early 2010, right before they won the World T20 in the Caribbean. He didn’t get a recall for 8 years and missed 384 international fixtures before returning in 2018. He debuted as an opener in the Caribbean, then filled a vital No. 3 spot during a transitional period for England’s Test team. Key contributions 15 Tests, avg 29.53 50 vs Australia at Headingley, 2019 same match as Ben Stokes’ famous 135* Career-best 94 at The Oval – helped England square the series in the 5th Test.

"His longevity in the game is remarkable, having played alongside Joe myself for Kent in my playing career, and winning trophies with him.

"On behalf of everyone at Kent Cricket on and off the field, I'd like to thank Joe for his two decades of service to the Club, and we hope to give him a fitting send-off at the end of this season."