Veteran Australia batter Aaron Finch has announced his retirement from the shortest format of the game. With this, a new captain will take the field when the team play next time. Notably, Finch had earlier decided to quit ODIs late last year which came after the home World Cup where they failed to make the semi-finals as well.
However, after that tournament, where Finch missed the final against Afghanistan due to injury, had enjoyed a successful tournament in BBL while playing for Melbourne Renegades, where he scored 428 runs at 38.90. It is also noteworthy that, Finch led the team to their first T20 World Cup title when they beat New Zealand in Dubai in 2021.
“Realising that I won’t be playing on until the next T20 World Cup in 2024, now is the right moment step down and give the team time to plan and build towards that event,” Aaron Finch said.
“I’d like to thank my family, especially my wife Amy, my team-mates, 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,” he further added.
Aaron Finch calls time on a storied international career 👏 pic.twitter.com/V0tiAH12up
— 7Cricket (@7Cricket) February 6, 2023
“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” – Aaron Finch
“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,” Aaron Finch also shared.
However, Aaron Finch is Australia’s leading men’s run-scorer in the format with 3120 at 34.28 and a strike rate of 142.53 as well. His highest score of 172, made against Zimbabwe in 2018, is the highest T20I innings of all time – a record he made with his 156 against England in 2013 as well.
However, he will continue to play with Renegades and added that he would take up other domestic T20 opportunities as well.
“As one of only four men’s players to captain Australia to a World Cup victory, Aaron will always have a special place in Australian Cricket’s history,” Cricket Australia chair, Dr Lachlan Henderson, said. “Playing at the highest level for over a decade requires incredible determination and dedication, so we thank Aaron for his enormous contribution and wish him all the best in the next phase of his career.”
As far as Australian cricket team is concerned, they are currently in India, all set to play the Border-Gavaskar Trophy as well.
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