Australia's World Cup-winning captain Aaron Finch announces retirement from international cricket

Australias most successful T20 International batter and captain Aaron Finch who led the country to its maiden shortest format World Cup triumph in 2021 announced his retirement from international cricket on TuesdayThe 36yearold will however continue to play for the Renegades in the Big Bash League and would consider domestic T20 opportunities in other countriesOur World Cup winning longest serving mens T20I captain has called time on a remarkable career Thanks for everything AaronFinch5 Cricket Australia CA said on its official Twitter handleFinchs retirement from international cricket was on expected lines He played just five Tests the last one being in 2018 and retired from the ODIs last year after a muchpublicised struggle for form as captain of the Australian teamHe captained the team to their first T20 World Cup title when they defeated New Zealand in Dubai in 2021 and is one of only four male Australians to captain a World Cup winning sideBut the Australian team under him failed to qualify for the semifinals T20 World Cup at home last year His last international match came in the T20 showpiece when he topscored with 63 as Australia beat Ireland by 42 runsAlso Read Indias chances in T20 WC will be largely dependent on toporder Mithali RajRealising that I wont be playing on until the next T20 World Cup in 2024 now is the right moment to step down and give the team time to plan and build towards that event Finch told reporters at the Melbourne Cricket Ground I also want to say a huge thank you to all the fans who have supported me throughout my international careerThe longterm whiteball skipper and longestserving T20I captain represented Australia in 254 international matches across all formats playing five Tests 278 runs 146 ODIs 5406 runs and 103 T20IsSince making his international debut in a T20I in January 2011 Finch amassed 8804 runs in all formats which includes 17 ODI centuries and two T20I tonsFinch led Australia in a world record 76 mens T20Is as well as in 55 ODIs before his retirement He is Australias most prolific T20I batter with 3120 runs from 103 matches at an average of 3428 with two hundreds and 19 fifties and a strikerate of 14253He also holds the record for the highest score in a T20I when blasting 172 runs from just 76 balls against Zimbabwe in Harare in 2018 an incredible knock that included 10 sixes and 16 foursFinch was also a part of the Australia team that won the ICC Mens Cricket World Cup in 2015Team success is what you play the game for and the maiden T20 World Cup win in 2021 and lifting the ODI World Cup on home soil in 2015 will be the two memories I cherish the most Finch saidAlso Read Leagues with cricketing ecosystem will survive rest will fade away Sourav GangulyTo be able to represent Australia for 12 years and play with and against some of the greatest players of all time has been an incredible honourFinch said he is hopeful of playing franchise cricket insisting that it is only the international cricket that Im walking away from at the momentIm hopeful to play in The Hundred in the UK because thats a competition I was really excited about for a couple of years but then didnt get the opportunity with COVID and then some tours that came up he saidAnd if anything else pops up and its at the right time Id definitely be interestedFinch who has represented nine IPL teams will also be commentating during the upcoming season of the league and the ODI World Cup in India later this yearPlus Ive been lucky enough to sign with Star India for some commentary stuff through the IPL and the 50over World Cup in India later this year so that will be good funIve loved the broadcast side of it since Ive done a bit more of it this year and last year You get to sit there and watch cricket and talk about it iquest its the best job in the world besides playingThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever