Australian all-rounder Glenn Maxwell has announced his retirement from international cricket, ending a remarkable career spanning three formats and multiple World Cup triumphs.
The 38-year-old, nicknamed ‘The Big Show’ for his explosive batting and unconventional strokeplay, will continue playing franchise cricket for Melbourne Stars in the Big Bash League (BBL).
Maxwell confirmed his decision on Tuesday during an episode of The Final Word podcast, announcing that he was also stepping away from domestic 50-over and four-day cricket for Victoria.
“I’m going to be announcing my retirement from international cricket and domestic games for Victoria in the 50-over and the four-day stuff, red ball completely,” he said.
He explained that the decision was partly driven by the need to manage his physical condition and preserve his fitness for the remaining tournaments in his career.
“It’s probably a time where I probably need to spend a little bit more time investing in the body to make sure I can get through the remaining couple of tournaments I’ve got in my career,” Maxwell said.
Although he is retiring from international cricket, first-class cricket and List A cricket, Maxwell will remain available for Melbourne Stars, having extended his contract with the franchise until the end of the 2027-28 season.
No farewell match at Melbourne Cricket Ground
Maxwell had hoped to make one final international appearance in front of his home crowd at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG).
Australia’s upcoming white-ball series against England includes a T20 international in Melbourne, and the all-rounder had considered getting himself ready for the series in the hope of receiving a farewell match.
However, his hopes ended when Cricket Australia announced its squad on Monday, opting to give younger players opportunities in the short formats.
“There was, I suppose, a small hope or discussion that I might have been able to potentially get a send-off game at the MCG, but I can completely understand the direction they’re going with this squad,” he said.
Maxwell acknowledged that Australian cricket was entering a period of significant change over the next 12 to 24 months, particularly with the 2028 Olympics approaching.
He said selectors needed to assess emerging players and expose them to international pressure, something they could not always experience through Big Bash League fixtures.
Australia’s youth-focused approach influenced decision
Maxwell revealed that discussions about his international future had been ongoing both before and after the 2026 T20 World Cup.
He said Australia’s team management had not pressured him into retirement, with both sides initially agreeing to leave the door open for a possible return.
“We probably had numerous discussions before and after the T20 World Cup. And it was pretty open-ended. There wasn’t any pressure from that side, and we decided to sort of leave the door open,” he said.
However, Australia’s subsequent selections indicated a clear shift towards younger players, particularly after emerging cricketers received opportunities during the Bangladesh series and performed well.
The all-rounder said he understood the team’s long-term planning and accepted the need to give younger players international exposure ahead of major upcoming tournaments.
Maxwell’s final international appearance
Maxwell’s last appearance for Australia came against Oman during the T20 World Cup in Sri Lanka in February 2026.
Australia failed to progress beyond the group stage, bringing Maxwell’s international career to an end without a final opportunity to bat for his country.
In that match, he claimed two wickets, conceding 13 runs in three overs with his off-spin bowling.
Maxwell had already retired from one-day international cricket in June 2025 but remained available for T20 internationals and represented Australia at the 2026 T20 World Cup. His decision Tuesday now brings his international career across all three formats to a close.
Remarkable career across three formats
Maxwell represented Australia in 149 one-day internationals, 130 T20 internationals and seven Test matches. He scored 3,990 runs in ODIs and 2,897 in T20 internationals, finishing with five T20I centuries at a strike rate of more than 154.
His five international T20 hundreds place him alongside India’s Rohit Sharma as the only two players to have reached the milestone five times in the format. He also claimed 128 wickets for Australia in the shorter formats with his off-spin bowling.
Maxwell was part of Australia’s 2015 and 2023 ODI World Cup-winning teams and played a crucial role in the country’s 2021 T20 World Cup triumph, scoring the winning runs in the final against New Zealand.
He also became one of only five Australian men, alongside Shane Watson, David Warner, Josh Inglis and Mitchell Marsh, to score an international century in all three formats.
His most memorable performances included his explosive batting and remarkable ability to change the course of a match through unconventional shots.
Emotional farewell to Victoria cricket
Alongside international retirement, Maxwell has also ended his domestic career with Victoria, bringing his first-class and List A appearances for the state to a close.
He recently represented Victoria in two matches in the One-Day Cup after leading Belfast Wolves to the final of the inaugural European T20 Premier League in September.
Maxwell admitted that informing his Victoria teammates about his retirement was more emotional than he had anticipated.
“Post the last one-day game for Victoria, speaking to my team-mates and letting them know that that was going to be my last game for the state was probably harder than I thought it was going to be,” he said.
He credited his teammates and the state cricket setup for playing a major role throughout his career, describing the support he received whenever he returned to represent Victoria.
Maxwell said he became emotional while addressing the group, acknowledging the relationships and support that had shaped his journey.
Despite stepping away from international and state cricket, the Australian star is not ready to leave the game entirely. He will continue playing T20 franchise cricket, with Melbourne Stars retaining him until the 2027-28 BBL season.
