Mitchell Starc Retires from T20 Internationals, Check out His Stats In This Format. Mitchell Starc has announced his retirement from T20 international cricket, bringing to a close a highly successful career in the shortest format. Starc, 35, announced his retirement on September 2, 2025, and said he wants to put all his efforts into the Tests and ODIs because they are the pinnacle of the game for him.
Starc made his T20I debut in 2012 and became one of the most feared fast bowlers in T20I, using his dangerous swing at rapid speed and beautiful yorkers. He took 79 wickets from more than 65 T20I games at an economy rate of 7.74 runs per over. He is Australia’s most successful fast bowler in T20Is and second overall behind Adam Zampa. The ability to change games with the ball was evident in his best performance in T20Is: 4 for 20 against the West Indies in 2022.
A Champion’s Legacy
Starc’s light shone brightest in 2021 when he played an instrumental role for Australia in its maiden T20 World Cup victory in the UAE. He has been the man in the past for big tournaments because he could take early wickets with the new ball and also finish off games with the old ball. However, the left-armer has been clear from the outset about his intentions regarding Test cricket, and given another busy schedule ahead—an away series to India, an Ashes series, and the ODI World Cup in 2027—he has chosen to retire from T20 international cricket.
| Record | |
|---|---|
| Career Span | 2012 – 2024 |
| Matches | 65 |
| Wickets | 79 |
| Economy Rate | 7.74 runs per over |
| Best Bowling | 4/20 vs West Indies (2022) |
| World Cup Titles | 1 (2021, UAE) |
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With over 400 Test wickets and two ODI World Cups in 2015 and 2023, Starc will replace his T20 legacy with his red-ball and 50-over legacy. This retirement naturally leads to the next generation of fast bowlers in Nathan Ellis and Sean Abbott, but few will have the combination of pace, swing, and experience to take Starc’s place.
For Australia, this is the end of an era for T20 international cricket, but personally, it allows Starc to focus on the formats that he loves the most.
