Glenn Maxwell announced his retirement from international cricket on Tuesday, November 3, ending a career in which the 38-year-old Australian all-rounder became one of the most destructive white-ball batters of his generation.
Maxwell matters to Australian cricket because he changed what a middle-order batter could do in limited-overs matches, winning three World Cups and holding a share of the record for the most centuries in men’s Twenty20 internationals.
Maxwell confirmed the decision on The Final Word podcast in an episode released on Tuesday, telling the hosts it felt “a little bit sad and a little bit inevitable too”. He said he had discussed his future with selectors before and after the T20 World Cup earlier this year, and stressed there had been no pressure from the Australian team management to step aside.
His hopes of a farewell match at his home ground, the Melbourne Cricket Ground, ended on Monday, when Australia named its squad for the upcoming series against England without him. Maxwell said he understood the selectors’ direction, with younger players preferred as Australia rebuilds ahead of the 2028 Olympics.
Maxwell played 149 one-day internationals, scoring 3,990 runs and taking 77 wickets, according to Reuters. He had already retired from one-day cricket in June 2025, but kept the door open for Twenty20 internationals.
His last appearance for Australia came against Oman at the T20 World Cup in Sri Lanka in February, a tournament in which Australia failed to progress beyond the group stage. He did not get a chance to bat in that final match, but took two wickets, the Tribune reported.
Maxwell finished with 2,897 runs in 130 Twenty20 internationals at a strike rate of 154.42, the Tribune reported. His five centuries in the format are a joint world record alongside India’s Rohit Sharma, and he also took 51 wickets with his off-spin.
He also played seven Tests, scoring 339 runs, including a century against India at Ranchi in 2017. Maxwell was part of Australia’s squads that won the 2015 and 2023 one-day World Cups and the 2021 T20 World Cup, and he scored the winning runs in the 2021 final.
His unbeaten 201 against Afghanistan at the 2023 World Cup in Mumbai, made while he battled cramps and could barely run, is widely regarded as one of the greatest one-day innings ever played. Australia went on to win that tournament.
Maxwell said fitness had become a central concern, telling the podcast he needed to spend more time looking after his body to get through the remaining tournaments of his career. He had considered making himself available for the England series, but opted to focus on recovering from a knee problem.
Maxwell has also retired from first-class and List A cricket for Victoria. He will continue playing in the Big Bash League for the Melbourne Stars, with his contract extended to the 2027-28 season, according to the Tribune.
What is confirmed is the retirement itself, the end of his Victoria career, and his continued availability for the Stars. What is not yet known is whether Cricket Australia will mark his international career with any formal farewell, as no such plan has been announced.
