“It diminishes the relevance of the World Test Championship”, Stuart Broad slow over-rate penalty.

Veteran England fast bowler Stuart Broad has bid farewell to his illustrious international career after the conclusion of the 2023 Ashes series. The 37-year-old, often considered a ‘Test specialist’, made the announcement of his retirement on the third day’s play of the fifth and final Test at The Oval in London.

Broad’s farewell to the international stage was nothing short of a fairytale ending. On the morning of Day 5, he struck a six on the last ball he faced in Test cricket. Later in the final session, he claimed the last two wickets, helping England secure a series-levelling victory in the Ashes.

In a recent interview with Daily Mail, Broad expressed his gratitude for the love and support he has received from fans throughout his career.

Stuart Broad “I woke up and saw a clip of headband-wearing fans in the crowd celebrating a wicket, and I was like, ‘wow’. I’ve always worn my heart on my sleeve but it was seeing what it meant to other people that got me. Later, as I took my dog Alfie to the park near where I live, I walked past a house five minutes down the road and there was a headband tied around the railings at the front. I looked up and there were posters in the window saying ‘thank you so much for your career’. It was really cool.”

However, it wasn’t all rosy for England during the Ashes series, as they were penalized 19 World Test Championship (WTC) points for maintaining a slow over-rate. Stuart Broad voiced his dissatisfaction with this decision, asserting that it weakened the relevance of the WTC. He called for a review of the flawed system to address its shortcomings.

Stuart opined “It diminishes the relevance of the World Test Championship, to be honest. It’s been one of the most entertaining series of all time, and for England to come out with nine points from a possible 60, the system’s wrong and needs looking at”