Glenn Maxwell, the 38-year-old Australian all-rounder, has officially hung up his boots from international cricket and first-class cricket, signaling the end of an era for one of the game’s most dynamic white-ball batters. This isn’t a full stop on his career though, not by a long shot.
The ‘Big Show’ Calls It
Maxwell, known as the ‘Big Show’ for his explosive style, made the formal announcement on The Final Word Cricket Podcast. He’d already retired from the ODI format back in 2025, and now his T20I career is also done on the international stage. But get this: he’s not done with the sport entirely. He’s sticking with franchise T20 leagues globally, with plans to play for the Melbourne Stars in the upcoming Big Bash League 2026/27 season.
He really opened up about his decision, saying there wasn’t “any pressure” from the Australian team management. They’d apparently left the door open, looking to the future and seeing young guys get opportunities, like in Bangladesh, and performing “really well.” Maxwell even mentioned having “numerous discussions” before and after the T20 World Cup, and a “small hope or discussion” about a potential send-off game at the MCG. But he completely gets where they’re going, acknowledging “a lot of change” coming over the “next 12 to 24 months with the Olympics coming up” in 2028. They need to get “eyeballs on a few young guys” and make sure they’re “exposed to international pressure” that you just don’t get from a BBL game.
Remembering the Thunder
When you talk about Australia’s finest white-ball batters of the last two decades, Maxwell’s name is right there. He gave us some absolutely wild performances. Who could forget that insane 201* off just 128 balls against Afghanistan in the 2023 ODI World Cup in Mumbai? Australia was reeling, 91/7 chasing 292, and it looked like Afghanistan was going to pull off a historic win. Maxwell, though? He just went “nope,” stayed not out at 201, smashed his maiden ODI double century, and led the eventual world champions to an improbable victory. That’s pure ‘Big Show’ magic right there.
Then there was his 108 off 90 balls against England during the 2020 ODI series in Manchester. Australia was struggling again, 73/5, chasing a 300-plus target. Maxwell came in at No. 7, linked up with Alex Carey for a massive 212-run partnership, and guided his team to glory. And let’s not forget his single-handed demolition job against India in a 2023 T20I series in Guwahati, where he blasted an unbeaten 104 off only 48 balls to chase down a colossal 223 runs. These knocks weren’t just good; they were game-changing, legacy-defining moments.
So while the ‘Big Show’ won’t be lighting up the international stage for Australia anymore, we’ll still get to see his fireworks in franchise cricket. Keep an eye on the Melbourne Stars in the Big Bash League. Maxwell’s international chapter might be closed, but the domestic leagues just got a whole lot more exciting with one of the game’s true entertainers still swinging for the fences.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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