Ireland And Former Zimbabwe Batter Peter Moor Retires From International Cricket At 35

Peter Moor, the cricketer who represented both Zimbabwe and Ireland in Test cricket, has announced his retirement from international cricket at the age of 35. Moor, who played a total of 85 international matches, confirmed his decision on Friday, bringing an end to a unique career that spanned nearly a decade across two nations.

Moor began his international journey with Zimbabwe, making his ODI debut in November 2014 against Bangladesh in Mirpur. He went on to play 49 ODIs, 21 T20Is, and eight Test matches for Zimbabwe. His Test debut came in 2016 against New Zealand, followed by his first T20I appearance later that year against Afghanistan.

Born in Harare, Moor qualified to play for Ireland in 2022 through his paternal grandmother, who held Irish heritage. Holding an Irish passport, he became eligible in October that year and was selected for Ireland’s Test tours to Bangladesh and Sri Lanka in early 2023. He went on to play seven Tests for Ireland, bringing his total Test caps to 15. His final international appearance came in February 2024, in a one-off Test match against Zimbabwe in Bulawayo.

Although he had ambitions of representing Ireland in white-ball formats, Moor never made an ODI or T20I appearance for the country. His Test form also took a downturn after the switch. While he averaged a respectable 35.53 in Tests for Zimbabwe, including five half-centuries, his average for Ireland dropped to 14.35 with just one fifty. That lone half-century, however, was significant—it came in a victory against his former side Zimbabwe in July 2024.

Reflecting on his career in an earlier interview, Moor expressed a desire to continue competing at a high level. “I still believe I’ve got three or four years of good cricket in me at the top level. Even though I might have missed out on a few World Cups for Zimbabwe in the last few years, I hope I can play for Ireland at the next one,” he had said.

Over the course of his international career, Moor scored 1,925 runs at an average of 22.91, registering 11 half-centuries. He retires as one of just 17 cricketers to have played Test matches for two different countries, a rare distinction that underscores his cross-border contribution to the game.