Australian all-rounder Glenn Maxwell has announced his retirement from international cricket, ending a remarkable 14-year career. A two-time ODI World Cup champion and T20 World Cup winner, Maxwell leaves behind an impressive legacy of explosive batting, memorable performances and 136 international wickets.
Australian all-rounder Glenn Maxwell has announced his retirement from international cricket, bringing the curtain down on an illustrious 14-year career representing Australia across all three formats. The 38-year-old leaves the international stage as one of the country’s most entertaining and versatile white-ball cricketers, having played a significant role in three major World Cup triumphs.
Maxwell confirmed his decision during an appearance on the cricket podcast The Final Word, explaining that he wanted to devote more time to maintaining his physical fitness and preparing for the remaining tournaments in his playing career.
The announcement follows several discussions with the Australian team management after the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. Maxwell said there had been no pressure from the management and that both sides had kept the possibility of his return open. However, with Australia beginning to introduce younger players into the team, he felt the time had come to step away from international cricket.
“It’s probably a time where I need to spend a little bit more time investing in the body to make sure I can get through the remaining couple of tournaments I’ve got in my career,” Maxwell said.
Maxwell last represented Australia in the final match of the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup against Oman. He had previously announced his retirement from One-Day International cricket in June 2025, making his decision to leave international cricket entirely the final chapter of his Australian career.
During his international career, Maxwell represented Australia in 149 ODIs, 130 T20 Internationals and seven Test matches. He scored a total of 7,226 international runs, including 3,990 in ODIs at a strike rate of 126.7 and 2,897 in T20Is at an impressive strike rate of 154.4. He also registered 10 international centuries and claimed 136 wickets across formats.
His achievements include two ICC Men’s ODI Cricket World Cup titles in 2015 and 2023 and the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in 2021. Maxwell also became one of Australia’s most successful T20I batters, finishing as the country’s third-highest run-scorer in the format, behind David Warner and Aaron Finch.
He scored five T20I centuries during his career, a record he shares with former Indian captain Rohit Sharma, making him one of only two players to achieve that milestone in men’s T20 international cricket.
One of the most unforgettable moments of Maxwell’s career came during the 2023 ODI World Cup match against Afghanistan at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium. Chasing a target of 292, Australia found themselves struggling at 91 for seven before Maxwell produced an extraordinary performance.
Despite suffering severe cramps and experiencing considerable difficulty moving around the crease, Maxwell scored an unbeaten 201 off just 128 deliveries, including 21 fours and 10 sixes. His remarkable innings helped Australia secure a three-wicket victory and remains one of the most memorable individual performances in World Cup history.
Maxwell’s aggressive batting style, innovative stroke-making, useful off-spin bowling and exceptional fielding made him an important member of Australia’s limited-overs setup for more than a decade. Although he played only seven Test matches, his contributions in ODI and T20 cricket established him as one of Australia’s finest white-ball all-rounders.
Reflecting on his domestic career, Maxwell also spoke emotionally about informing his Victoria teammates that he would no longer represent the state in 50-over and four-day cricket. He admitted that addressing his teammates after his final one-day appearance for Victoria was more emotional than he had anticipated, acknowledging the support they had provided throughout his career.
| Also Read: Sarfaraz Khan speaks out after India A New Zealand tour snub |
However, his retirement from international and traditional domestic cricket does not mean the end of his professional playing career. Maxwell is expected to continue participating in franchise-based T20 competitions, including the Big Bash League with the Melbourne Stars, with whom he has an ongoing contract.
His departure marks the end of a remarkable international journey defined by fearless batting, extraordinary match-winning performances and major championship victories. Maxwell leaves behind a legacy as a player who consistently entertained cricket fans and demonstrated how unconventional stroke-making and all-round ability could change the course of a match.
