Rachael Haynes announces retirement from international cricket

Rachael Haynes (PC: Twitter)

Australia Women's team vice-captain Rachael Haynes on Thursday (September 15) announced her retirement from international and domestic cricket.

There were growing speculations over her future with the team, Haynes on Thursday ended months of speculation around her future, calling time on a 13-year-long international career that included 167 matches across all forms of the game.

Having made her international debut in an ODI against England at Lord's in 2009, Haynes went on to become her country's one of the most dependable batters across formats. In her glittering career, the left-handed top order batter scored 3818 international runs with 2585 of them coming in one-dayers, which includes two centuries.

Haynes' career accolades include three T20 World Cups and two one-day titles. She also sits fourth in the all-time leading run-scorers list in Women's National Cricket League. Apart from being a multi-World Cup winner, she also led Australia on 14 occasions when filling in for Meg Lanning, most notably during the 2017-18 Ashes when Lanning was ruled out with a shoulder injury.

Haynes' retirement leaves Cricket Australia with another potential captaincy decision to make, as she has been Meg Lanning's deputy for the past five years and very recently spoke about leading the team in Lanning's absence. Lanning has taken an indefinite break from cricket for personal reasons and is not guaranteed to return before Australia's next match in December.

The 35-year-old last played for Australia in a gold-medal match against India at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.

The upcoming Women’s Big Bash League campaign with the Sydney Thunder will be her last tournament as a player.

Haynes reflects on her journey

"One of the great things about having a long career is watching those around you develop. I'm extremely proud of the way this team has brought players in and nurtured their development. The ability to help players transition smoothly has been instrumental to our team's success. To be a leader within this environment has been the greatest privilege of my career. To have the privilege of being at the other end watching some of her greatest innings, and it those times, as well as the times off the field travelling around Australia and the world, that I will always cherish," said Rachael Haynes on her retirement.

CA congratulates Haynes 

Cricket Australia's chief executive Nick Hockley thanked Haynes for her services to Australian cricket. 

"On behalf of everyone at Cricket Australia I'd like to congratulate Rachael (Haynes) on an amazing career and also recognise the outstanding contribution she has made off the field.

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