Meg Lanning announces indefinite break from cricket effective immediately

Australian cricket captain Meg Lanning has announced she’s taking an indefinite break from the game just days after winning gold.

Lanning is taking indefinite leave. Picture: Tim Hunter.

Australia captain Meg Lanning announced she is stepping away from the game and taking indefinite leave from cricket effective immediately.

The announcement dropped on Wednesday afternoon, only days after the Aussies claimed gold at the 2022 Commonwealth Games.

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A Cricket Australia statement said Lanning will take leave due to “personal reasons”, and has withdrawn from the upcoming Hundred, where she was due to play with Trent Rockets.

“After a busy couple of years, I’ve made the decision take a step back to enable me to spend time focusing on myself,” Lanning said in the statement.

“I’m grateful for the support of CA and my teammates and ask that my privacy is respected during this time.”

CA Head of Performance, Women’s Cricket, Shawn Flegler said: “We’re proud of Meg for acknowledging that she needs a break and will continue to support her during this time.

“She’s been an incredible contributor to Australian cricket over the last decade, achieving remarkable feats both individually and as part of the team, and has been a brilliant role model for young kids.

“The welfare of our players is always our number one priority, and we’ll continue to work with Meg to ensure she gets the support and space she needs.”

Meg Lanning is taking time off. (Photo by Alex Davidson/Getty Images)

Lanning played a vital role as the Aussies claimed gold in Birmingham, defeating India by nine runs.

The win gives Australia a never-before-seen trifecta as ODI world champions, T20 world champions and Commonwealth Games gold medallists.

Australia reached 8/161 at the end of their 20 overs, spurred on by 61 from Beth Mooney.

India’s run chase was looking good at 2/118 after 14 overs, however, that’s when Ash Gardner turned the contest with two crucial wickets as India lost 3/3 in two overs.

It left India needing 41 from the final four overs with five wickets in hand.

However, the wickets kept tumbling from there and India found themselves needing 16 runs from the final two overs.

India then lost four wickets in nine balls, crumbling at the finish line, bowled out for 152 from 19.3 overs.