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Australia’s dynamic all-rounder Glenn Maxwell has announced his retirement from One Day International (ODI) cricket, drawing the curtain on a memorable and often spectacular 50-over career. The 36-year-old, renowned for his audacious shot-making and game-changing performances, steps away from the format after 149 ODIs, choosing to focus his energies on T20 internationals ahead of the 2026 T20 World Cup.
Glenn Maxwell’s decision to quit ODIs
Maxwell’s decision comes in the wake of Australia’s semi-final exit at the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy, a campaign that proved physically taxing for the veteran. Speaking candidly on the Final Word Podcast, Maxwell revealed, “I felt like I was letting the team down a little bit with how my body was reacting to the conditions.”
Maxwell is understood to have made his mind up on his ODI retirement well before the finger injury that ruled him out of the IPL 2025 mid-season.
He added: “We talked about the 2027 World Cup and I said to [selector] George Bailey, ‘I don’t think I am going to make that, it’s time to start planning for people in my position to have a crack at it and make the position their own’.”
Mercurial Maxwell: An ODI career of spectacular highs
Maxwell’s ODI journey is marked by both consistency and flashes of brilliance. He retires with 3,990 runs at an average of 33.81, including four centuries and 23 half-centuries. With the ball, his off-spin yielded 77 wickets, often breaking crucial partnerships for Australia.
Glenn Maxwell announces retirement from ODI cricket#ThankYouMaxi #cricket #GlennMaxwell pic.twitter.com/Qcvn5ibrbq
— CricketTimes.com (@CricketTimesHQ) June 2, 2025
His crowning moment came during the 2023 ODI World Cup in India, where he played what many consider the greatest ODI innings of all time. In a group-stage clash against Afghanistan, Maxwell scored an unbeaten 201 off 128 balls, rescuing Australia from a perilous 91 for 7 to chase down 292. Battling severe cramps and barely able to move, Maxwell’s counterattack—featuring 21 fours and 10 sixes—set a new benchmark for resilience and innovation. The 202-run partnership with Pat Cummins for the eighth wicket shattered records and secured Australia’s passage to the semifinals.
Cricket legends, including Sachin Tendulkar, hailed the innings as the finest ever witnessed in ODI cricket.
A wonderful knock by @IZadran18 to put Afghanistan in a good position. They started well in the 2nd half and played good cricket for 70 overs but the last 25 overs from @Gmaxi_32 was more than enough to change their fortune.
From Max pressure to Max performance! This has been… pic.twitter.com/M1CBulAgKw
— Sachin Tendulkar (@sachin_rt) November 7, 2023
Maxwell became the first player to score a double century in an ODI run chase and the first Australian to reach a double hundred in the format.
