India’s 2022 CWG silver medallist Sabbhineni Meghana announces international retirement

Indian batter Sabbhineni Meghana has announced her retirement from all formats of cricket on Friday (Oct 23), bringing her playing career to an end. Born in Andhra Pradesh, Meghana began her domestic career with Railways before making her India debut in a WODI series against New Zealand in 2022. She went on to play three ODIs and 17 T20Is for the national team.

One of the biggest highlights of her career was being part of the Indian women’s team that won the silver medal at the 2022 Commonwealth Games. However, she found it difficult to secure regular opportunities at the international level in the following years and missed subsequent ICC events.

Reflecting on her journey, Meghana spoke about the importance of representing India and the lessons she learned through cricket.

“Stepping onto the field for the very first time with a bat in hand to wear a jersey on world stage has been nothing short of a dream come true. As I announce my retirement from all formats of cricket as a player, my heart is overflowing with gratitude. The field has been my second home, teaching me resilience, humility, and giving me memories and friendships that I will carry for a lifetime,” Meghana wrote in a social media post.

She also thanked her family, coaches, teammates, support staff and fans for supporting her throughout her career.

“To my family, who stood by me through every peak and valley, thank you for your endless sacrifices. To my coaches, teammates, support staff, thank you for pushing me to be my best and sharing the dressing room with me. And to the fans, your cheers under the floodlights fuelled every single stride I took,” she wrote.

Also Read - BCCI appoints Parvinder Awana as junior selection committee chairman

Meghana also played in the Women’s Premier League (WPL) and represented Gujarat Giants in the tournament’s inaugural edition before joining Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in 2024. She was part of the RCB squad that won the WPL title that year.

The batter expressed her gratitude to the cricketing organisations that supported her during her career and gave her opportunities to play at the highest level.

“I would like to extend my sincere gratitude to the BCCI, the Andhra Cricket Association, Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Gujarat Giants, and RSPB for their constant support, guidance, and backing throughout my career. Thank you for giving me the platform and opportunities to pursue my passion at the highest level,” Meghana added.

Also Read - IND vs NZ, 2nd T20I: When and where to watch live streaming in India?

While she has decided to step away from playing, Meghana intends to remain involved in cricket and hopes to help young players develop their skills and contribute to the sport in the future.

“While my playing days come to an end, my bond with cricket will never break. I will always stay 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. Thank you, Cricket. You will forever be my heart, my passion, and my lifelong purpose,” she concluded.