Cricket: Cricket-Australia skipper Lanning retires from international cricket

SYDNEY (Reuters) – Meg Lanning, who captained Australia’s women’s cricket team to five World Cup triumphs, has retired from the international game after representing her country for 13 years.

The 31-year-old top-order batter won seven world titles in all, as well as Commonwealth Games gold, with the dominant Australia team and scored 8,352 runs in 241 matches over all three formats.

“The decision to step away from international cricket was a difficult one to make but I feel now is the right time for me,” Lanning said in a statement.

“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 team mates along the way.”

Lanning made her debut as a teenager in a Twenty20 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.

She had already won the 2012 Women’s T20 World Cup and 2013 50-overs World Cup before she assumed the captaincy in 2014 at the age of 21.

Under her leadership, Australia won 80% of their matches and claimed another 50-overs world crown in 2022 as well as the T20 titles in 2014, 2018, 2020 and 2023.

The 2020 triumph was secured in front of a record crowd of 86,174 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, while the 2023 title-decider in South Africa in February this year turned out to be her final international match.

“One of the finest cricketers Australia has produced, Meg’s supreme achievements with the bat have been matched by her inspiring leadership,” said Cricket Australia chief executive Nick Hockley.

“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.”

(Reporting by Nick Mulvenney, editing by Clare Fallon)