Andhra Pradesh batter Sabbhineni Meghana brought her playing career to a close on Friday, October 23, 2026, announcing her retirement from all formats of cricket. The 30-year-old, who turned out for India in 3 ODIs and 17 T20Is, made the announcement via social media.
Born on June 7, 1996, Meghana came through the domestic ranks with Railways before earning a national call-up. Her T20I debut arrived on November 20, 2016, against West Indies, while her ODI debut followed on February 12, 2022, against New Zealand. Her final ODI came on February 18, 2022, also against New Zealand, and her last T20I appearance was on October 10, 2022, against Thailand.
Meghana was among the players who helped India claim silver at the 2022 Commonwealth Games. However, she was unable to force her way back into the T20 setup on a regular basis and subsequently missed out on the ICC events that followed.
“Stepping onto the field for the very first time with a bat in hand to wear a jersey on world stage has been nothing short of a dream come true. As I announce my retirement from all formats of cricket as a player, my heart is overflowing with gratitude. The field has been my second home, teaching me resilience, humility, and giving me memories and friendships that I will carry for a lifetime,” Meghana wrote in a social media post.
What did Meghana say about her family, coaches and fans?
In her retirement message, Meghana paid tribute to everyone who shaped her career, from her family to her coaches, teammates and supporters.
“To my family, who stood by me through every peak and valley, thank you for your endless sacrifices. To my coaches, teammates, support staff, thank you for pushing me to be my best and sharing the dressing room with me. And to the fans, your cheers under the floodlights fuelled every single stride I took,” Meghana wrote.
She also extended her gratitude to the governing bodies and franchises that backed her throughout her career.
“I would like to extend my sincere gratitude to the BCCI, the Andhra Cricket Association, Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Gujarat Giants, and RSPB for their constant support, guidance, and backing throughout my career. Thank you for giving me the platform and opportunities to pursue my passion at the highest level,” Meghana added.
How did Meghana’s WPL career unfold and what are her plans after retirement?
On the franchise front, Meghana was picked up by Gujarat Giants for the inaugural Women’s Premier League season. She subsequently moved across to Royal Challengers Bangalore ahead of the 2024 edition and was a member of the RCB side that claimed the WPL title that year. Across her WPL appearances, covering one season with Gujarat Giants and two with RCB, she accumulated 302 runs in 14 innings, including one half-century.
Meghana made clear that stepping away from playing does not mean stepping away from cricket. She vowed to mentor budding cricketers going forward.
“While my playing days come to an end, my bond with cricket will never break. I will always stay deeply connected to the game and intend to dedicate my life to giving back to the sport, mentoring the next generation, and serving the game that gave me everything. Thank you, Cricket. You will forever be my heart, my passion, and my lifelong purpose,”, Meghana concluded.
