South African umpire Marais Erasmus has announced his retirement after an 18-year international career. His farewell game will be the first Test at Wellington between New Zealand and Australia, where he will be 60 years old.
Widely regarded as one of the best umpires in the game, Erasmus began his international career in a T20I between South Africa and Australia in 2006. Since then, he has umpired in 80 Tests, 124 ODIs, and 43 T20Is for men's cricket, as well as 18 T20Is for women's cricket. He has also served as the TV umpire in 131 international matches across formats.
Erasmus cited the time spent away from home as a key factor behind his decision. In October of last year, he informed the ICC of his plan to finish his contract in April.
The 60-year-old has an impressive list of accolades to his name. These include the ICC Umpire of the Year award, which he has won three times (2016, 2017 and 2021). He is second only to the legendary Simon Taufel, who has won the award five times.
Before becoming an umpire, Erasmus was a successful cricketer. He played for Boland and participated in 53 first-class and 54 List-A matches. As an all-rounder, he scored over 2,000 runs and took 179 wickets.
Although he is stepping away from international cricket, Erasmus remains passionate about the game. He plans to spend the winter months relaxing and travelling around the country. He will then return to officiate in South African domestic cricket in September. He also intends to take on a mentoring role, sharing his vast experience with aspiring umpires.