Aaron Finch retires from international cricket

Aaron Finch has announced his retirement from international cricket.

The long-serving white-ball skipper represented Australia in 254 internationals across all formats, playing five Tests, 146 ODIs and 103 T20Is.

Finch led Australia to a world record 76 in men’s T20Is as well as 55 in ODIs before announcing his retirement on Tuesday.

I understand that I won’t be playing until the next T20 World Cup in 2024, now is the right time to step down and give the team time to plan and build towards that event,” Finch told reporters at the MCG.

I also want to say a big thank you to all the fans who have supported me throughout my international career.”

Since making his international debut in a T20I against England in January 2011, Finch has amassed 8,804 runs, which includes 17 ODI hundreds and two T20I tons.

Finch retired from ODIs in September last year but went on to lead Australia in the T20 series, including an unsuccessful T20 World Cup defense on home soil.

The right-hander’s last international match came in that tournament when he top scored with 63 as Australia beat Ireland by 42 runs but failed to reach the semi-finals.

Finch was a star in white-ball cricket for most of his time at the top level and was nominated for the ICC Men’s T20I Cricketer of the Decade award in 2020.

He holds the record for the highest T20I score when he blasted 172 runs off just 76 balls against Zimbabwe in Harare in 2018, an incredible knock that included 10 sixes and 16 fours.

That innings broke Finch’s own record for the highest T20I score – which remains the third-highest men’s T20I score of all time – after he smashed 156 off 63 balls against England at Southampton in 2013.

The 36-year-old tasted extreme success as part of the Australian team that won the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup in 2015 and when he captained the T20 World Cup team in 2021.

Team success is what you play for and winning the maiden T20 World Cup in 2021 and lifting the ODI World Cup on home soil in 2015 are two memories I cherish the most,” said Finch.

It’s been an incredible honor to represent Australia for 12 years and to play with and against some of the greatest players of all time.”