Glenn Maxwell retires from international cricket after missing out on Australia selection

By SABC Sport
3rd November 2026

Glenn Maxwell has called time on his international career after not being included Australia's squad for the five-match T20I series at home against England that starts later this month.

The 38-year-old had already retired from ODIs last year but was still made himself available for the shortest format, having last played at the 2026 T20 World Cup earlier this year.

Australia's final match of that tournament, against Oman in February, becomes the last game Maxwell has played for his country after they failed to progress beyond the group stages.

Speaking on the Final Word podcast, Maxwell said: "We probably had numerous discussions before and after the T20 World Cup. And it was it was pretty open ended.

"There wasn't any pressure from that side [Australia team management], and we decided to sort of leave the door open. There was a couple of series that were coming up; they were going to look to the future, and we saw that in Bangladesh with guys getting their opportunity and performing really well."

Maxwell hit the winning runs when Australia were crowned T20 World Cup champions in 2021, while he is also a two-time ODI world champion.

He did have hope of one last international appearance at his home ground in Melbourne at the MCG, but it was ultimately not to be.

Maxwell will be available to play for the Melbourne Stars in the Big Bash League (BBL) having had his contract extended to the 2027-28 season.

Maxwell added: "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.

"There's going to be a lot of change, I suppose, over the next 12 to 24 months with the Olympics coming up (in 2028), and they've got to make sure that they get their eyeballs on a few young guys coming through and making sure that they're getting exposed to international pressure that you probably can't always get from a BBL fixture."