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Australian cricket icon Glenn Maxwell has officially called time on his incredible 14-year international career.
After being omitted from the upcoming T20I squad to face England, the 38-year-old all-rounder announced his complete international and state-level retirement on The Final Word podcast.
Leaving the global stage with 7,226 runs and 136 wickets across 286 international appearances, Maxwell will go down as one of the most destructive, unorthodox, and entertaining white-ball cricketers the world has ever seen.
Here’s a review of the defining chapters and highlights that shaped the phenomenal career of the the man they call ‘The Big Show’:
Maxwell burst into international cricket in August 2012, quickly earning a reputation for his fearless 360-degree stroke-play. While limited-overs cricket was undeniably his kingdom, he also achieved the ultimate dream of wearing the Baggy Green.
Though he only played seven Test matches for Australia, his career path included a magnificent maiden Test century (104) against India in Ranchi in 2017. This feat made him one of only five Australian men to score a century in all three international formats.
Maxwell was an indispensable engine room for Australia’s 50-over dominance, helping lift the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup trophy in both 2015 and 2023. Over his 149 ODIs, he racked up 3,990 runs at a staggering career strike rate of 126.43, alongside 77 wickets.
He routinely turned games on their head with his explosive lower-order hitting, dependable off-spin, and electric fielding.
Widely celebrated and debated by fans as probably the greatest ODI knock of all time, Maxwell’s unbeaten 201 off 128 balls against Afghanistan at the 2023 World Cup is etched in history.
Battling severe, full-body cramps that left him practically unable to walk, he single-handedly rescued Australia from a disastrous 91-7 to chase down a target of 292.
During that same golden 2023 World Cup campaign in India, Maxwell showcased his terrifying power against the Netherlands. He shattered the record for the fastest century in 50-over World Cup history, reaching his hundred in a mere 40 balls.
The innings perfectly encapsulated his unique ability to manipulate fields and manufacture boundaries out of thin air.
Maxwell finishes his career as a true titan of the shortest format. He spearheaded Australia’s maiden T20 World Cup title in 2021, famously hitting the tournament-winning runs in the final.
Over 130 T20Is, he blasted 2,897 runs at a ferocious strike rate of 154.42, bowing out as Australia’s third-highest run-scorer in history.
He leaves the international game sharing a spectacular world record with India’s Rohit Sharma for the most T20I centuries (5).
While his days in Australian gold are officially over, fans can look forward to seeing his signature switch-hits for a few more years; he remains contracted to play domestic franchise cricket with the Melbourne Stars in the Big Bash League.