Aaron Finch announces retirement
Australian whit-ball skipper Aaron Finch on Saturday announced his unexpected retirement from one-day format.
The 35-year-old took this decision by considering his dry run with the bat, saying it was time to hand over the baton.
The Australian opener will play his final one-day international on Sunday against New Zealand. He has amassed 5,401 runs in his 145 outings in ODIs so far, and the 146th match on Sunday will be his last outing in ODIs for Australia.
His highest score in 50-over format till now is unbeaten 153. While he recorded 17 centuries and 30 half-centuries as well.
Ricky Ponting (29), David Warner, and Mark Waugh are the only other greats with more centuries than he does (both 18). As the Twenty20 team gets ready to defend its World Cup at home next month, Finch will continue to serve as captain.
“It has been a fantastic ride with some incredible memories,” said Finch, who has skippered the one-day side 54 times.
“I have been extremely fortunate to be a part of some brilliant one-day sides. Equally, I have been blessed by all those I have played with and the many people behind the scenes.”
The opener has struggled with the bat lately, hitting 5, 5, 1, 15, 0, 0, 0 in his previous seven ODIs while under mounting pressure from the media.
Despite this, he was still supposed to captain the squad to the ODI World Cup in India in 2023. The “ultimate ambition” of Finch, he said in 2020, was to lead that event.
Finch took over the ODI team’s charge for full-time in 2018 and captained Australia in the 2019 World Cup, a tournament that came to an end with a semi-final loss to eventual champions England.
No one questioned his excellent captaincy, but he feels it’s the time now to give the new leader the opportunity to prepare and win the 2023 World Cup.
“It is time now to give a new leader the best possible opportunity to prepare for and win the next World Cup,” he said.
“I thank all of those who have helped and supported my journey to this point.”
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