After the semi-final loss from India, Australia’s stand-in skipper announced retirement from ODI cricket.
A stellar 155-match career in the format comes to an end with the decision. In the Champions Trophy semifinal match against India in Dubai, Smith made his final appearance and led Australia in scoring with 73 runs in a defeat.
Smith gave his youthful bowling attack kudos for making it difficult for India to reach Australia’s target of 265 runs.
With his attention turning to the forthcoming World Test Championship Final and upcoming red-ball assignments, the 34-year-old will be available for Test cricket and Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is).
“It has been a great ride and I have loved every minute of it,” Smith said. “There have been so many amazing times and wonderful memories. Winning two World Cups was a great highlight, along with the many fantastic teammates who shared the journey.”
Smith played a significant role in Australia’s World Cup victories in 2015 and 2023 and has been a major contributor to the team’s ODI success over the last ten years. He was a technically proficient hitter who scored more than 5,300 runs in ODIs, including 12 hundreds.
“Now is a great opportunity for people to start preparing for the 2027 World Cup so it feels like the right time to make way.
Smith also said “Test cricket will remain his priority”
“Test cricket remains a priority and I am really looking forward to the World Test Championship final, the West Indies in the winter and then England at home. I feel I still have a lot to contribute on that stage.”
Smith had a key role in both the 2015 and 2023 ODI World Cup triumphs. He hit the winning runs in the final match against New Zealand at the MCG in 2015 and amassed five straight fifty-plus scores, including 105 in the victory against India in the semi-final.
In addition to being named in the 2015 ICC men’s ODI squad of the year, he was named Australia’s ODI player of the year in 2014–15 and 2020–21, the latter year in which he amassed three hundreds, including consecutive 62-ball masterclasses against India in three days at the SCG.
From 2015 to 2025, Smith led Australia in 64 One-Day Internationals. Though Smith was the only one who did not lead his nation in a World Cup, only Ricky Ponting, Allan Border, Steve Waugh, Mark Taylor, and Michael Clarke have captained Australia more times.
After Smith retired, George Bailey, the chair of selectors, honored him.
“We fully understand and support Steve’s decision to retire from One Day International cricket,” Bailey said. “Steve has said on many occasions he is approaching the remainder of his playing career on a series-by-series basis, a position which hasn’t changed and one Cricket Australia supports.
“His record as a batter across 170 games is exemplary and to leave the format as a two-time World Cup winner cements his legacy as one of the great Australian ODI players. From an NSP [national selection panel] standpoint, Steve remains fully committed to Test cricket and is an integral member of and leader within that team.”
In August, Australia will play a series against South Africa in their next ODIs. Smith has agreed to play for Welsh Fire in the Hundred concurrently, and as his career draws to a close, his 50-over retirement should allow him to play more franchise cricket.
