India’s 2022 Commonwealth Games silver medalist has announced his international retirement
Indian batsman Sabbhineni Meghana has announced her retirement from all formats of cricket, bringing the curtain down on her career, including representing the country at the 2022 Commonwealth Games, where India won a silver medal in women’s cricket.
The 30-year-old announced her decision in a social media post where she reflected on her journey and expressed gratitude to her family, coaches, teammates, support staff and fans who have supported her throughout her career.
“Stepping onto the field with bat in hand and putting on the jersey on the world stage for the very first time was nothing short of a dream come true,” Meghana wrote.
“As I announce my retirement from all formats of cricket, my heart overflows with gratitude. The field has been my second home, taught me resilience, humility and given me memories and friendships that will last a lifetime,” she added.
Meghana has also made it clear that retirement will not mean a complete break from the sport and has expressed her intention to contribute to cricket outside of playing time.
FROM ANDHRA TO INDIA
A right-handed batsman from Andhra Pradesh, Meghana made her T20I debut against the West Indies in November 2016. She made her ODI debut against New Zealand in February 2022 and then represented India in three ODIs and 17 T20Is, scoring 114 and 258 runs.
One of the significant milestones of her career came in 2022 at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham. Women’s cricket made its first appearance at the Games and India reached the final before losing to Australia to secure a silver medal.
Meghana has also made a name for herself in domestic cricket. In the 2021–22 season, she became the top run-scorer of the Women’s Senior One Day Trophy 2022, scoring 388 runs, including one century and two half-centuries, performances that strengthened her credentials for a place in the national team.
WPL TRIUMPH WITH RCB
Meghana featured in the Women’s Premier League and represented Gujarat Giants in the inaugural season in 2023 before joining Royal Challengers Bengaluru in 2024.
She was part of the RCB team that won their first WPL title in 2024 when they beat Delhi Capitals in the final. The triumph added another notable team achievement to her career.
In her retirement message, Meghana thanked her family for their sacrifices and acknowledged the role played by her coaches, teammates and support staff.
“To my family who has stood by me through every peak and valley, thank you for your endless sacrifices,” she wrote.
“While my playing days are over, my bond with cricket will never be broken. I will always remain deeply connected to the game and intend to dedicate my life to giving back to the sport, mentoring the next generation and serving the game that gave me everything.”
Meghana captioned the heartfelt tribute to the sport, writing: “Thank you Cricket. You will forever be my heart, my passion and my life’s goal.”
– The end