Sport

Aaron Finch retires from international cricket after sparkling career in Twenty20 and ODI formats

Aaron Finch has announced his retirement from international cricket after more than a decade representing Australia.

Finch made his international Twenty20 debut in 2011 and played all three formats for his country, captaining in more than 100 T20 and one-day international matches.

The 36-year-old's five-match stint in the Test team came at the end of 2018 when he filled in at the top of the order while David Warner was serving his ball-tampering ban, but it was in coloured clothing that Finch really made his name.

He won the 2015 ODI World Cup and led Australia to its maiden men's T20 World Cup win 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," Finch said.

"I'd like to thank my family, especially my wife Amy, 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.

"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."

The powerful opener has captained his country in 76 T20s since 2014 and has held the record for the highest individual score in an international match since 2013, when he clattered 156 off 63 balls against England at the Rose Bowl in Southampton.

He broke his own record in 2018 with 172 off 76 against Zimbabwe — his second and final T20 tonne.

With 3,120 runs from 103 matches, he also holds the record for the most games played and the most runs scored for Australia's men's team in the shortest international format.

He was named Australia's T20 player of the year in 2014 and 2018 and is second only to Chris Lynn in terms of most runs in the men's Big Bash League, with 3,245 from 102 games for the Melbourne Renegades.

Finch scored 17 ODI centuries and 30 half-centuries after his debut in 2013 and was named men's ODI player of the year at the Australian Cricket Awards in 2020.

But his form in the 50-over game took a dive after that year, averaging just over 12 with the bat in 14 matches since then, leading him to take a step back from the format last year.

Finch maintained the T20 captaincy through the team's failed World Cup defence and, with their next 20-over game not scheduled until September, decided to call time, leaving a hole at the top of the order and in the leadership ranks.

During his tenure, Warner, Steve Smith and Matthew Wade have stepped into a captaincy role at different times, but there is no obvious successor.

Test skipper Pat Cummins took over the ODI leadership in Finch's absence, but Cricket Australia may be hesitant to give the fast bowler the burden of leading the team in all three formats.

"Travis Head, Ashton Turner, these types of guys are experienced, they know how to win as well, so whichever way [the selectors] go, the team is in great hands," Finch said at his retirement press conference.

"The time between now and the T20 World Cup in 2024 is really important because it'll be a transition phase.

"The new leader needs time to come in and mould the team in the direction that they want to take it."