Meg Lanning, who is 31 years old, made the unexpected decision to withdraw from international cricket. During a career spanning 241 matches and 13 years, Lanning led Australia in 182 international matches. Lanning, who is currently captain of the Melbourne Stars in the WBBL, declared her retirement with immediate effect, citing this as “the right time” to give it up.
“It was not an easy decision to make, but I believe that this is the right time for me to retire from international cricket.” I’ve had the incredible good fortune to work internationally for 13 years, but I feel that it’s time for me to move on to something new at this moment. “I’m proud of what I’ve been able to accomplish and will treasure the moments shared with teammates along the way,” Lanning said in a statement. “Team success is why you play the game.”
“I’d like to thank my family, my teammates, Cricket Victoria, Cricket Australia, and the Australian Cricketers’ Association for their support to allow me to play the game I love at the highest level,” she stated.
When Lanning debuted in 2010, she was eighteen years old and played in the T20I format initially. She has participated in six Test matches as an Australian representative in addition to 132 T20Is and 103 ODIs. Lanning, who captained Australia for the first time in 2014, is among the sport’s most accomplished captains. In her four Tests as captain of Australia, she led her team to victories in all but one of the 78 ODIs, 100 T20Is, and 69 Test matches. In addition to winning one ODI World Cup and four T20 World Cups, she guided her team to gold at the Commonwealth Games the previous year.
But Lanning has missed several series since the Commonwealth Games. She was not included in the Australian lineup for the home series against the West Indies and the tours of England and Ireland this year. She had chosen to take a six-month hiatus in 2022, which meant she had missed Australia’s tour of India. Although Alyssa Healy was chosen as the team’s temporary captain at the time, Australia will now search for a new permanent captain before their multi-format tour of India begins next month.
Lanning holds various records as a batter, including the fastest century for Australia in Women’s ODIs (45-ball 100 against New Zealand in 2012 in Sydney) and the youngest ever to make an international century (104* versus England in Perth in 2011, at 18 and 288 days).
Earlier this year, Lanning led the Delhi Capitals to a runner-up finish in the first Women’s Premier League. The 31-year-old, who cost the franchise INR 1.1 crore, was kept before the second edition’s auctions and is probably going to keep playing both franchise and domestic cricket.
CEO of Cricket Australia Nick Hockley praised Meg’s accomplishments in Australian cricket, saying, “Meg is one of the best cricketers Australia has produced; her outstanding feats at the bat are matched by her inspirational leadership.” Meg has been one of the greatest players in the world for a very long time. She has led a generation that has revolutionized the game and left an incalculable legacy.
“Under Meg’s direction, the Australian women’s cricket team has established a legacy of dominance on a global scale, expanded the game, and motivated cricket players worldwide. Meg, a gold medallist at the Commonwealth Games and a seven-time World Cup victor is retiring from international cricket. We are grateful for all of her hard work and accomplishments.
“We look forward to celebrating Meg’s distinguished international career at an appropriate time.”