Meg Lanning made her debut as a teenager in a T20 match against New Zealand in 2010 and the following year scored the first of her 17 career centuries against England in her second one-day international.
Meg Lanning announced her retirement from international cricket on Thursday after leading the Kangaroos for almost 13 years. Lanning, who led the Aussies to five World Cup wins, scored 8,352 runs in 241 matches over all three formats.
The 31-year-old released a statement that read: “The decision to step away from international cricket was a difficult one to make, but I feel now is the right time for me.”
“I’ve been incredibly fortunate to enjoy a 13-year international career but I know now is the right time for me to move on to something new.
“Team success is why you play the game; I’m proud of what I have been able to achieve and will cherish the moments shared with teammates along the way.”
“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.
“I also want to say a huge thank you to all the fans who have supported me throughout my international career.”
Lanning debuted against New Zealand in 2010 in a T20 match and took up the role of captaincy in 2014 at the age of 21. She had a win percentage of eighty and went on to win the 50-overs world crown in 2022 and the T20 titles in 2014, 2018, 2020 and 2023.
Her last international match was in South Africa earlier this year where she fiitingly led her side to the ultimate crown.
Paying tribute to her glittering career, Cricket Australia chief executive Nick Hockley said: “One of the finest cricketers Australia has produced, Meg’s supreme achievements with the bat have been matched by her inspiring leadership. As one of the best players in the world over a long period of time, Meg has made an immeasurable impact and led a generation which has helped revolutionise the game.
“Under Meg’s leadership, the Australian women’s cricket team has built a legacy of global dominance and has been at the forefront of growing the game and inspiring the next generation of cricketers all around the world,” he concluded.
(With Reuters Inputs)
Source:indianexpress.com