Australia’s cricket captain, Meg Lanning, has decided to retire from international cricket after an illustrious career that saw her secure seven World Cup titles in 241 matches. The 31-year-old athlete, who participated in six tests, 103 one-day internationals, and 132 Twenty20 internationals, will continue her cricket journey in the domestic scene, focusing on both Australia and possibly India.
Lanning expressed the difficulty of the decision in a statement on November 9 made at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. The cricketer, who was born in Singapore when her father worked as a banker there, became emotional when thanking her parents, Wayne and Sue, during the farewell press conference.
During her international career, Lanning made 8,352 runs, including 17 centuries and 38 half-centuries, since her debut in 2010. In her second one-day international (ODI), she became the youngest Australian to score an international century at the age of 18, a record she still holds.
Appointed as captain in 2014 at the age of 21, Lanning led Australia in 182 matches, the most by any woman cricketer. She leaves behind one of Australia’s most successful international teams. In her final international match, Lanning led Australia to victory in the 2023 T20 World Cup against South Africa in February.
