Australia T20I Captain Aaron Finch Announces Retirement From International Cricket

Aaron Finch, Australia’s T20I captain, has ended his glittering international career, which included leading Australia to their first ICC Men’s T20 World Cup title. Finch captained Australia in a world record 76 men’s T20Is as well as 55 ODIs before retiring on Tuesday. The long-serving white-ball captain represented Australia in 254 international matches across all formats, including five Tests, 146 One-Day Internationals, and 103 Twenty20 Internationals.

“Realising that I won’t 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,” ICC quoted Finch as saying at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG).

“I also want to say a huge thank you to all the fans who have supported me throughout my international career,” he added.

Finch has accumulated 8,804 runs since making his international debut in a T20I against England in January 2011, including 17 ODI hundreds and two T20I ones.

Finch’s ODI career came to an end in September of last year, but he continued to skipper Australia in T20s, most notably during their underwhelming home defence of the T20 World Cup.

In that campaign, he played his final international game and top-scored with 63 runs as Australia overcame Ireland by 42 runs but failed to advance to the semi-finals.

Finch was a white-ball cricket superstar for much of his tenure at the highest level. He was nominated for the ICC Men’s T20I Cricketer of the Decade award in 2020.

He broke the record for the greatest T20I score when he scored 172 runs off 76 balls against Zimbabwe in Harare in 2018. His incredible inning included 10 sixes and 16 fours.

Finch’s 156 off 63 balls against England in Southampton in 2013 is still the third-highest men’s T20I score in history.

“Team 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. To 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 honour,” Finch said.

The 36-year-old reached the zenith of his career when playing for Australia in the 2015 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup and as captain of the T20 World Cup squad in 2021.

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