Picture Credit: Twitter/@cricketcomau
CWG gold-medallist and Australia vice-captain Rachel Haynes announced retirement from international cricket on Wednesday and drove the cricket world in shock with her recent decision.
The 35-year-old Australia international has won two ICC Women's World Cup in 2013 and 2022, and two ICC Women's T20 World Cup in 2018 and 2020.
With her retirement announcement, Haynes paid tribute to her teammates for their support throughout her career. She said, "To all the team-mates across my career, you are the reason I’ve played as long as I have. You’ve inspired me to be better every day. I’ve learnt something from all of you, on and off the field. You’ve challenged me as a player, helped me grow as a person and most importantly, made cricket fun."
Further, Haynes stated that leading Australia as a vice-captain was the greatest privilege in her career. "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," she added.
Rachel Haynes represented Australia in 85 T20Is, 74 ODIs and 6 Tests and scored 864, 2571 and 383 runs respectively, according to cricket.com.au stats.