Tied with Rohit Sharma at 5 T20I tons: Glenn Maxwell bids farewell to international cricket

Sydney: Australian all-rounder Glenn Maxwell has officially announced his retirement from international cricket, bringing the curtain down on a remarkable 14-year career. The 38-year-old middle-order powerhouse leaves behind a lasting legacy as one of modern white-ball cricket's most inventive and destructive batters. Having debuted for Australia in August 2012, Maxwell became a central figure in the national team's most successful campaigns, lifting the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup in 2015 and 2023, alongside the ICC T20 World Cup title in 2021.

Maxwell finishes his international career with 3,990 runs in 149 One-Day Internationals, 2,897 runs in 130 T20 Internationals, and 339 runs across seven Test matches. Known for his match-winning off-spin and athletic fielding alongside his boundary-hitting prowess, Maxwell's decision follows Australia's T20 World Cup campaign and a shift toward building the nation's future limited-overs squads.

The T20I Century King Alongside Rohit Sharma

While Maxwell achieved iconic status across all limited-overs formats, his highest achievements came in the game's shortest format. Maxwell finishes his career tied at the apex of T20 International batting history, sharing the world record for the most T20I centuries (5) alongside former Indian captain Rohit Sharma.

Maxwell reached the five-century milestone in fewer innings than Rohit, achieving his fifth hundred off just 55 balls against the West Indies at the Adelaide Oval in February 2024. His tally places him above premier international hitmen such as India's Suryakumar Yadav (4 centuries) and Abhishek Sharma (4 centuries), confirming his reputation as one of T20 cricket's defining match-winners.

A Legacy Defined by Unmatched Audacity

Nicknamed 'The Big Show' early in his career for his fearless flair, Maxwell’s batting revolutionised how middle-order finishing is approached. His repertoire of unconventional shots—ranging from reverse sweeps against express pace to switch-hits over deep cover—frequently dismantled established bowling plans. Among his career highlights, his heroic 201 not out against Afghanistan at the 2023 World Cup in Mumbai remains one of the greatest single-handed ODI innings ever played.

Speaking on his retirement, Maxwell acknowledged that the timing felt natural as Australia transitions its squad. His departure signals the end of an era for Australian white-ball cricket, leaving behind a legacy marked by unprecedented innovation, world-title successes, and unmatched power-hitting.