Australian cricketer Finch announces retirement

Australian cricketer Aaron Finch has announced his retirement from international cricket.

“Realising that I won't be playing on until the next T20 World Cup in 2024, now is the right moment to step down and give the team time to plan and build towards that event,” he said on Tuesday.

“To be able to represent Australia for 12 years and play with and against some of the greatest players of all time has been an incredible honour,” he said.

A destructive opening batter at his peak, Finch's position has been under a cloud since Australia failed to make the knockout stage of last year's T20 World Cup at home.

It was not immediately clear who would replace Victoria-born batter, who has captained the team in 76 of the 103 T20 internationals he has played since debuting against England in 2011.

The 36-year-old captained Australia to its maiden T20 World Cup victory in Dubai in 2021.

He retired as Australia's one-day skipper last September.

Finch holds the record for the highest score in a T20 international, which he set by smashing 172 runs off 76 balls against Zimbabwe in 2018.