Punam Raut Announces Retirement From International Cricket After Illustrious 12-Year Career

One of the mainstays of India's women's batting line-up for more than a decade has called it a day. Punam Raut announced her retirement from international cricket on Thursday via an Instagram post, bringing down the curtain on an India career that began in 2009 and produced four Tests, 73 ODIs and 35 T20Is.

Raut finished with 2,299 runs in ODIs, including three centuries, along with 719 runs in T20Is and 264 in Tests. Her finest hour came at the 2017 Women's World Cup, where she scored 381 runs, made a sparkling 86 in the final against England at Lord's, and smashed 109 against Ireland in a record 320-run opening partnership with Deepti Sharma as India reached the final. She also struck a Test hundred against South Africa in 2014 and, in the historic 2021 pink-ball Test against Australia, earned widespread admiration for walking back after edging a delivery despite being given not out.

Reflecting on her journey from the streets of Mumbai to the India jersey, Raut said the game had given her far more than a career — a purpose, an identity and a family. Her final international appearance came in an ODI against England in June 2021.