Australia Women’s
captain Meg Lanning shocked the world by announcing that she is retiring from
international cricket with an immediate effect on Thursday.
A winner of two
ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup trophies and five ICC Women’s T20 World Cup
titles, Lanning bows out of the game at the age of 31 having amassed more than
8,000 runs across all formats for her country.
“The decision to
step away from international cricket was a difficult one to make, but I feel
now is the right time for me,” Lanning was quoted by the ICC.
“I have been
incredibly fortunate to enjoy a 13-year international career, but I know now is
the right time for me to move on to something new. Team success is why you play
the game, I am proud of what I have been able to achieve and will cherish the
moments shared with teammates along the way.”
“I would like to
thank my family, my teammates, Cricket Victoria, Cricket Australia and the
Australian Cricketers’ Association for their support in allowing me to play the
game I love at the highest level. I also want to say a huge thank you to all
the fans who have supported me throughout my international career,” she
concluded.
Lanning’s first
ICC title was the T20 World Cup in Sri Lanka in 2012 and it was followed by a
50-over World Cup triumph in India back in 2013.
The
ultra-consistent right-hander took the captaincy reins from Jodie Fields at the
start of 2014 and it was never looking back for her from there, as she led her
country with aplomb on 182 occasions and to five ICC titles during a golden run
for Australia cricket.
Lanning was named
ICC Women’s T20I Cricketer of the Year in 2014 and the following year was
adjudged the ICC Women’s ODI Cricketer of the Year.
More titles
followed for Australia under the watchful eye of Lanning and the fearsome
leader also led her country to a gold medal at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in
Birmingham.
Lanning finished
her career with a total of 17 international centuries, with 15 of those coming
in 50-over cricket and a career-best 152* against Sri Lanka in Bristol in 2017.
That tally of 15
centuries is the most in women’s ODI cricket, with New Zealand veteran Suzie
Bates her closest rival with 12.
Lanning’s last
international match was when she fittingly led her country to the T20 World Cup
title in South Africa earlier this year.
In six Tests,
Lanning scored 345 runs at an average of 31.36, with a best individual score of
93, with two half-centuries.
In 103 ODIs, she
scored 4,602 runs at an average of 53.51. Lanning scored 15 centuries and 21
fifties in 102 innings, with the best score of 152*.
Lastly, in 132
T20Is, Lanning scored 3,405 runs in 121 innings at an average of 36.61 and a
strike rate of above 116. She scored two centuries and 15 fifties, with the
best score of 133*.
ANI
