Australian women’s cricket team captain Meg Lanning has announced her retirement from international cricket. The 31-year-old cricketer, who led Australia to victory in the T20 World Cup in February, has decided to step away from the international stage due to undisclosed injury issues. Despite being fit, she opted not to play in the recent series against the West Indies.
Lanning, who also captained the Melbourne Stars in the Big Bash League, expressed her gratitude for the 13 years of enjoying international cricket. She mentioned that the decision to retire was difficult but felt it was the right time. Lanning highlighted that she feels fortunate to have enjoyed international cricket for over a decade but believes it’s the right moment to explore new opportunities.
While stepping away from international cricket, Lanning intends to continue playing domestic cricket in Australia. She had taken temporary breaks from the game on a few occasions before. In 2022, she withdrew from the Commonwealth Games due to personal reasons after leading Australia to a gold medal. In December of the same year, she didn’t participate in Australia’s tour of India.
Lanning made her international debut at the age of 18 in 2010 and played a significant role in Australian cricket. She played 103 ODIs, 123 T20Is, and 6 Tests for Australia, leading the team to victory in five World Cups, including two ODIs and three T20Is. Her leadership record includes 182 matches as captain.
At just 18 years old, Lanning became the youngest Australian to score a century in international cricket. She holds the record for the highest average in women’s ODIs in Australia, with a remarkable average of 53.51. In T20Is, she is the second-highest run-scorer for Australia, accumulating 3405 runs at an average of 36.61 and a strike rate of 116.37.
In women’s T20I cricket, Lanning has the second-highest run aggregate, scoring 3405 runs at an average of 36.61 and a strike rate of 116.37. She has achieved two centuries in ODIs but hasn’t played a Test century yet, with two fifties in her six Test matches.
Meg Lanning leaves a significant legacy in Australian women’s cricket, both as a player and a captain, and her contributions will be remembered as she transitions to the next phase of her career.
