Former Australian captain, Aaron Finch, has declared that he will be retiring from the Big Bash League (BBL) after the conclusion of the current season with the Melbourne Renegades. This announcement, made on Thursday, marks the end of an era for Finch in the BBL.
While Finch's retirement currently pertains only to the BBL, it is understood that he is not expected to participate in other major international leagues, though he may still appear in legends tournaments. In a recent conversation with Channel 7, Finch hinted that this season would be his last in the BBL.
Although Finch has not been part of the Renegades' playing XI recently, last appearing on December 23, the team plans to honour him with a final match against the Melbourne Stars on January 13 at Marvel Stadium, according to an ESPNCricinfo report. Despite the Renegades' slim chances for a finals berth, this match will serve as a fitting farewell for Finch.
Finch leaves an impressive legacy in T20 cricket, ranking as the seventh-highest run-scorer with a record of 11,458 runs at an average of 33.70 and a strike rate of 138.21. His personal best of 172 runs came in a match against Zimbabwe in 2018.
In the BBL, Finch stands as the second-highest run-scorer, trailing only Chris Lynn. His international career, which he concluded in February 2023 after retiring from ODIs in late 2022, includes leading Australia to victory in the 2021 T20 World Cup.