Glenn Maxwell has retired from international cricket. He announced the news on Tuesday on The Final Word podcast. Maxwell is 38. He also retired from domestic 50-over and four-day cricket for Victoria. He will not play red-ball cricket anymore.
Maxwell played 149 ODIs, 130 T20Is and seven Tests for Australia. He was part of the teams that won the ODI World Cup in 2015 and 2023. He also played a big role in Australia’s T20 World Cup win in 2021. He scored 3,990 runs in ODIs and 2,897 runs in T20Is. He also took 128 wickets in the two shorter formats with his off-spin. His last game for Australia was against Oman at the T20 World Cup in Sri Lanka in February.
Maxwell said he wants to focus on his fitness. He wants to get his body ready for the tournaments he still has left in his career. He said he needs to spend more time on his body to get through the next couple of tournaments.
Maxwell was known as “The Big Show” for his aggressive batting and unusual shots. He is one of only two players with five international centuries in T20 cricket. Rohit Sharma is the other. Maxwell had already retired from ODI cricket last year. He hoped to play one last international match at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. But that chance ended when Australia named its squad for the England series on Monday. The selectors picked younger players. Maxwell said he understood the team’s direction. He said there was a small hope of a send-off game at the MCG, but he gets why they are going with a younger squad.
Glenn Maxwell: The Domestic and Franchise Career
Victoria: Where It Started
Maxwell made his debut for Victoria in 2010, and he spent his early career in the state system. His first-class numbers are good rather than spectacular: 69 matches and 4,147 runs at an average of 39.49, with seven centuries and a highest score of 278. In List A cricket, he scored 6,051 runs in 227 matches with eight centuries, including his famous 201 not out, and his strike rate of 122 is among the highest ever recorded for a batter in the format. His last game for Victoria came against South Australia on 12 October 2026. He had opted out of a state contract for the 2026-27 season, which signalled that the end was close.
The Big Bash League
Maxwell began in the BBL with the Melbourne Renegades, and he has spent most of his career with the Melbourne Stars. His record is excellent: 3,317 runs in 129 matches at an average of 34.19 and a strike rate of 154.35, with two centuries and 21 fifties. He has also taken 47 wickets with his off-spin.
His most famous innings came in January 2022, when he scored 154 not out off 64 balls against the Hobart Hurricanes. That is the highest score in BBL history, and it made him the first batter to pass 150 in the competition. In 2024-25, he scored 325 runs as the Stars reached the knockout final.
Indian Premier League
Maxwell’s IPL career lasted 13 seasons. He debuted for Delhi Daredevils in 2012, then played for Mumbai Indians, Kings XI Punjab (later Punjab Kings) and Royal Challengers Bengaluru. He had four different teams in all.
His best years were with Punjab in 2014, when he hit 36 sixes and struck at close to 190, and with RCB from 2021 to 2024. RCB paid 14.25 crore rupees for him at the 2021 auction, and he responded with a strong season. Over his IPL career, he played 141 matches and scored 2,819 runs at an average of 23.88 and a strike rate of 155.14. He hit 161 sixes, scored 18 fifties and took 41 wickets and 52 catches. His highest score was 95, so he never scored an IPL century.
Punjab Kings bought him for 4.2 crore in 2025, but he scored just 48 runs and took four wickets in seven games before injury ended his season. They released him in November 2025, and in December he chose not to enter the 2026 auction, ending his stint with a statement of thanks to the league.
FAQs
Q. When did Glenn Maxwell announce his international retirement?
A. Maxwell announced his retirement on Tuesday during The Final Word podcast.
Q. How many international matches did Glenn Maxwell play for Australia?
A. Maxwell played 149 ODIs, 130 T20Is and seven Tests.
Q. How many international T20 centuries has Glenn Maxwell scored?
A. Maxwell has scored five international T20 centuries, a record he shares with Rohit Sharma.
Q. Why did Glenn Maxwell decide to retire from international cricket?
A. Maxwell wants to focus on his fitness and prepare his body for the remaining tournaments in his career.
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