India women's cricket team's experienced top-order batter Poonam Raut announced her retirement from all formats of international cricket on Thursday. The 37-year-old represented India between 2009 and 2021, playing four Tests, 73 One-Day Internationals (ODIs) and 35 Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is).
Raut announced her decision in a message shared on social media, stating that she had reached the decision after considerable thought and reflection on her career. She described wearing the Indian team jersey as the greatest honour of her life.
In her message, Raut said cricket had taught her not only how to play the game but also how to face difficult situations, maintain discipline and move forward in life. She expressed gratitude for the experiences and memories she gained while representing India.
Raut also thanked the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) for supporting her during the early stages of her career. She said the opportunities, trust and guidance she received during that period provided a b foundation for her development as a cricketer. She described fulfilling her dream of wearing the Indian jersey as one of the greatest achievements of her life.
Raut made her international debut for India in 2009 and went on to represent the country across all three formats. During her career, she scored 264 runs in four Tests, 2,299 runs in 73 ODIs and 719 runs in 35 T20Is.
She scored four international centuries, including three in ODIs and one in Test cricket. She also recorded 15 ODI half-centuries and four T20I half-centuries. Her last international appearance came in an ODI against England in June 2021.
One of the defining periods of Raut's career came during the 2017 Women's ODI World Cup in England, where India reached the final. She scored 381 runs during the tournament, contributing to the team's campaign.
In the final against England at Lord's, Raut scored 86 runs. Her innings helped India reach a competitive position, but the team lost the match by nine runs.
Raut also featured in a record-breaking opening partnership during the tournament. Against Ireland, she and Deepti Sharma added 320 runs for the first wicket. Raut scored 109 runs in the match, while Deepti also registered a century. The partnership became a notable milestone in Indian women's cricket.
