Aaron Finch: I thought the timing was right with World Cup next year

Cricket Australia said in a statement on Saturday that Finch will continue to captain Australia’s Twenty20 side and will lead it in defense of its world title when the T20 World Cup is played in October and November in Australia

Australia captain Aaron Finch says he’s retiring from one-day international cricket effective Sunday after the team plays New Zealand in the third and final ODI.

A recent run of poor form has seen the 35-year-old Finch average just 3.7 runs, including three ducks, since scoring 62 runs against Sri Lanka in an ODI in June.

Cricket Australia said in a statement on Saturday that Finch will continue to captain Australia’s Twenty20 side and will lead it in defense of its world title when the T20 World Cup is played in October and November in Australia.

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“It has been a fantastic ride with some incredible memories,” said Finch, who played 145 ODI matches, 54 as captain. 

“It is time now to give a new leader the best possible opportunity to prepare for and win the next World Cup.” One of the most damaging opening batters in the world when at his best, Finch has scored 5,401 runs in the ODI format and averaged close to 40, including 17 centuries. But he’s failed to get past 20 in his last seven innings and his place in the side was in doubt.

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“Being a bit over 12 months out from the 50-over World Cup, I thought the timing was right now,” Finch said. “I could have tried to play the England series post-World Cup. That would have been a bit of a fairytale at the MCG. But that’s never been my style to be self-indulgent in any kind of way.”

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