Glenn Maxwell retires from international cricket after 286 matches
Synopsis
Glenn Maxwell — the man who batted on cramps to score 201 not out and save Australia at the 2023 World Cup — has retired from international cricket. His exit closes the book on one of the most electrifying white-ball careers of his era: 286 matches, 7,226 runs, five T20I centuries, and three World Cup medals.
Key Takeaways
Glenn Maxwell announced retirement from international cricket on Monday, 3 November 2026 .
He played 286 international matches , scoring 7,226 runs and taking 136 wickets .
Maxwell holds the joint record for most T20I centuries (5) , shared with Rohit Sharma .
His 201 not out off 128 balls against Afghanistan at the 2023 ODI World Cup — made while cramping at 91/7 — is regarded among the greatest ODI innings ever.
He won three World Cup titles with Australia: 2015 ODI WC , 2021 T20 WC , and 2023 ODI WC .
His last Test was in 2017 ; he retired from ODIs after the 2025 Champions Trophy and played his final T20I against Oman in February 2026 .
Australian all-rounder Glenn Maxwell announced his retirement from international cricket on Monday, drawing the curtain on a career that spanned more than a decade and 286 international matches across all three formats. Widely known as 'The Big Show', Maxwell exits as one of Australia's most feared limited-overs cricketers of his generation.
Career by the Numbers
According to ESPNcricinfo, Maxwell accumulated 7,226 runs and claimed 136 wickets across formats during his international career. He is the joint holder — alongside India's Rohit Sharma — of the record for most T20I centuries, with five to his name. His 3,990 ODI runs place him among Australia's most productive limited-overs batters.
The Innings That Defined a Career
No single moment encapsulates Maxwell's genius more vividly than his knock at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai during the 2023 ODI World Cup league stage against Afghanistan. With Australia reduced to a perilous 91 for 7, chasing 292, and Maxwell visibly hampered by cramps that severely restricted his movement, he produced an extraordinary 201 not out off 128 balls — guiding Australia to a remarkable three-wicket victory. It is widely regarded as one of the greatest individual innings in ODI history.
World Cup Medals and Format Record
Maxwell was a key member of Australia's squads that won the 2015 and 2023 ODI World Cups and the 2021 T20 World Cup. He made his international debut in an ODI against Afghanistan in 2012 and quickly established himself as one of the most unorthodox and destructive white-ball batters in world cricket. His last Test appearance came in 2017, having featured in just 7 Test matches, as he settled firmly into the limited-overs setup thereafter.
A Phased Exit
Maxwell had already flagged his intentions ahead of his final chapter, retiring from ODI cricket after the 2025 Champions Trophy. His last T20 International was played against Oman in February 2026. Monday's announcement formalises the end of an international career defined by power-hitting, useful off-spin, electric fielding, and a rare ability to alter the course of matches single-handedly.
With Maxwell's retirement, Australian cricket loses one of its most box-office limited-overs talents — a figure whose influence on the game's white-ball era extended well beyond statistics.
Point of View
Bowl handy off-spin, and field brilliantly, all while carrying the weight of an underdog chase on cramping legs. His 201 not out at the Wankhede was not just a great innings; it was a referendum on what white-ball cricket can demand of a single individual. The broader question his exit raises is whether Australia's next generation has a ready-made successor in that mould — someone who can absorb pressure at 91 for 7 and produce 200 not out. The answer, right now, is not obviously yes.
NationPress
3 Nov 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
When did Glenn Maxwell retire from international cricket?
Glenn Maxwell announced his retirement from international cricket on Monday, 3 November 2026. The retirement covers all formats, formally concluding an international career that began in 2012.
What are Glenn Maxwell's career statistics?
Maxwell played 286 international matches, scoring 7,226 runs and claiming 136 wickets across all formats. In ODIs alone, he scored 3,990 runs, and he holds the joint record for most T20I centuries (5) alongside India's Rohit Sharma.
What is Glenn Maxwell's most famous innings?
Maxwell's 201 not out off 128 balls against Afghanistan at the 2023 ODI World Cup at the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai, is widely regarded as his defining knock. He scored it while hampered by cramps, with Australia reeling at 91 for 7 while chasing 292, and guided his side to a three-wicket win.
Which World Cup titles did Glenn Maxwell win?
Maxwell was part of three World Cup-winning Australian squads: the 2015 ODI World Cup, the 2021 T20 World Cup, and the 2023 ODI World Cup.
Did Glenn Maxwell retire from all formats at once?
Not entirely at once. Maxwell retired from ODI cricket after the 2025 Champions Trophy, played his last T20 International against Oman in February 2026, and had not played Test cricket since 2017. Monday's announcement formally retired him from all remaining international cricket commitments.
