Meg Lanning opts for indefinite break from cricket to 'focus on myself'

ICC Women's World Cup-winning Australian skipper Meg Lanning is doubtful of leading the side during the upcoming tour of India this year. She takes an indefinite break from the sport to "focus on myself." Australia is scheduled to tour India in mid-December for five Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is) before the home series against Pakistan, followed by the ICC Women's T20 World Cup in South Africa next year.

"After a busy couple of years, I've decided to take a step back to enable me to spend time focusing on myself. I'm grateful for the support of CA and my teammates and ask that my privacy be respected during this time," Lanning said in a statement. The announcement comes days after she led Australia to the gold medal at the Commonwealth Games (CWG) 2022 in Birmingham.

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On the same note, Cricket Australia's (CA's) head of performance, women's cricket, Shawn Flegler, communicated, "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, individually and as part of the team."

"She 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," added Flegler. The 30-year-old made her international debut in 2010 and has been leading the side since 2014, already leading Australia on 171 instances. In the last couple of years, she has led the team to the T20, and the 50-over World Cup titles, alongside the Ashes series victory.

(With inputs from PTI)