India batter Sabbineni Meghana announces retirement from all forms of cricket

Indian women's team top-order batter Sabbineni Meghana has announced her retirement from all the forms of cricket on Friday.

India batter Sabbineni Meghana announces retirement from all forms of cricket
Source: IANS

New Delhi, Oct 23 (IANS) Indian women's team top-order batter Sabbineni Meghana has announced her retirement from all the forms of cricket on Friday.

A solid top-order batter Meghana, born in Andhra Pradesh, represented Railways in the domestic circuit. She made her international debut in a WODI series against New Zealand in 2022. Meghana represented India in three ODIs and 17 T20Is.

She was then part of the Indian team that won silver at the 2022 Commonwealth Games. However, she has since failed to break into the T20 setup and missed out on subsequent ICC events. 

"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. 

"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.

Meghana was signed by the Gujarat Giants in the inaugural edition of the WPL and moved to Royal Challengers Bangalore in 2024. She was part of the RCB squad that lifted the trophy in 2024. 

"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.

"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. 

--IANS

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