This morning's breaking news was Steve Smith's announcement of his retirement from One Day Internationals (ODIs). He has decided to step away from his ODI career after leading Australia to the semi-finals of the 2025 Champions Trophy.
This announcement may come as a surprise to many fans. A notable moment was captured in a video where Steve Smith and Virat Kohli shared a hug after India defeated Australia in semi-final 1 of the Champions Trophy. During this encounter, Kohli asked Smith if this was his last match, to which Smith responded with a heartfelt, "Yeah." They embraced, marking this moment as their final one in the ODI format. Kohli was indeed one of the first to learn about Smith’s retirement.
Smith led an inexperienced Australian side that was missing key players such as Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, and Josh Hazlewood. Despite the challenges, he successfully guided his team to the semi-finals of the 2025 Champions Trophy and was the second-highest run-scorer for Australia. He stepped up during critical moments and played a vital role in their journey to the semi-finals.
Also Read: Steve Smith Announces ODI Retirement Following Australia’s Champions Trophy 2025 Exit
The 35-year-old ensured that he ended his ODI career on a high note, scoring 73 runs off 96 balls and helping Australia post a respectable total of 264 runs. Throughout his ODI career, Smith has been pivotal to Australia’s middle order since 2013, accumulating numerous runs and winning two World Cup titles in 2015 and 2023.
Smith has produced countless match-winning performances for Australia in ODI cricket, including several memorable centuries. One of his most unforgettable knocks was the unbeaten 105 he scored against India in the 2015 World Cup semi-final, a performance that resulted in India's elimination from the tournament.
