Rachel Haynes, the Australian batter, announced her retirement from international cricket on Thursday. The 35-year-old southpaw, who made her international debut in 2009, went on to play 6 Tests, 77 ODIs and 84 T20Is.
Haynes is the ninth highest run-getter for Australia in both the limited overs formats with career aggregates of 2585 in ODIs and 850 in T20Is. A key figure in Australia’s dominant run in international cricket following their ouster in the 2017 World Cup, Haynes served as Meg Lanning’s deputy since 2018 – a four-year period in which Australia won two T20 world cups, one 50-over world cup and the CWG gold medal.
Primarily a top-order batter, Haynes also expertly tackled the challenges emerging at different batting positions slightly lower down the order, especially in T20Is. While she missed out on a century in her debut Test (falling on 98), she went on to score two in ODIs, with the highest score of 130 against England in the 2022 Women’s World Cup. Apart from being a standout fielder, she also chipped in with 13 international wickets.
Speaking about the decision, Haynes said: “Playing at this level isn’t possible without the support of many people. From clubs, states, coaches, family and friends, I’m so grateful to those who helped me along the way. In particular, I want to thank my parents Ian and Jenni, and partner Leah for their unwavering support.
“To all the teammates 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.
“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.”
Nick Hockley, Cricket Australia’s Chief Executive Officer, further said: “On behalf of everyone at Cricket Australia I’d like to congratulate Rachael on an amazing career and also recognise the outstanding contribution she has made off the field.
“Rachael’s calm and assured leadership has played a key role in Australia becoming one of the most successful sporting teams in history. She will go down as a great of the game. Rachael has been an inspirational figure for kids coming into the game and to her many teammates and has played an integral part in the advancement of cricket as a sport for women and girls, both here in Australia and around the world.
”We look forward to watching Rachael in the WBBL this season and hope she maintains a close connection to the game in coming years.”
Meanwhile, Haynes has also confirmed that she has also played her last domestic match for New South Wales, while WBBL 08 will be her last for the Sydney Thunder.
