Melbourne, March 4 Veteran Australian all-rounder Glenn Maxwell has made it clear that he is not ready to end his T20I career, keeping the 2028 T20 World Cup and the Los Angeles Olympics in mind.
Maxwell, 37, would be 40 when Australia hosts the 2028 T20 World Cup, which is scheduled just months after cricket returns at the Los Angeles Olympics. While questions have arisen about his longevity, particularly after Australia's group-stage exit at the recent T20 World Cup and a dip in his personal form, the dynamic all-rounder says he is not in a hurry to make a decision about his future.
"I think not making a decision about my future was probably based more on what's to come over the next 12 months. There isn't much T20 cricket planned, so there's probably no need to make any formal announcements and just see how my body is and how I'm performing, and if there's an opportunity to play in the future, hopefully I'll be fit and in good form,” Maxwell told reporters in Melbourne on Wednesday.
Australia has a limited T20I schedule before August 2027, with just eight bilateral matches currently lined up, and Maxwell has already stepped away from ODI cricket. Despite that, he remains hopeful of extending his international T20 career.
When asked directly whether he believed he could feature at the 2028 Olympics and T20 World Cup, Maxwell was optimistic but cautious.
“Fit and in good form? Hopefully. But yeah, I'm not setting any specific dates. I felt like I got better and better throughout the World Cup. I probably judge it more on how I'm running around the field and how I'm feeling, rather than any statistics about wickets and runs. And I just felt like I was able to get through games a lot more easily. I felt like I was playing my role as well as I could, and I still felt like I had a lot to offer,” he said.
Maxwell's recent numbers have been modest, with low returns in both T20Is and the Big Bash League, although he believes his overall contribution goes beyond raw statistics.
Australia's next T20I engagement is a three-match series against Bangladesh in June, part of a broader tour that also includes ODIs in Bangladesh and Pakistan. Maxwell confirmed that he has been in discussions with selectors regarding these plans.
“We've had some discussions about what the next few months look like, and we'll continue to have really open and fluid discussions going forward. As I said, if I'm fit and in good form and available, I'll be ready,” he said.
In the meantime, Maxwell will remain active on the franchise circuit. He has signed a two-year extension with the Melbourne Stars in the Big Bash League and is set to feature in the Pakistan Super League, Major League Cricket, and a new Europe-based T20 competition later this year. Maxwell will represent the Hyderabad Kingsmen in the PSL, marking his first appearance in the tournament.
“I looked at the window I had between the World Cup and MLC, and with us not going as far into the tournament as I probably previously planned, I found myself with a bit more time between tournaments, and I just felt like I would have been going in cold into the next one,” Maxwell said.
“So, it probably bridges a timing gap beautifully. And getting the opportunity to join a new team and start fresh with someone – I really like those opportunities. I think it's nice to be able to start with a team from the very beginning and build a brand,” he mentioned.
