After playing for India for more than 12 years, Punam Raut announced her retirement from international cricket on Thursday, October 15. The right-handed hitter made her debut for her country in 2009, and she last played in June 2021 against England.
In March 2009, Raut made her ODI debut against the West Indies. In June 2021, she participated in her final international match, an ODI against England. She established herself as one of the more reliable top-order batsmen in the women’s game during that time by representing India in three ODI World Cups and four T20 World Cups.
A record of 3,282 runs across formats is left by Raut. She scored 264 runs in four Test matches in addition to 2,299 runs in 73 ODIs and 719 runs in 35 T20Is. During her international career, she scored four hundreds—three in ODIs and one in Tests—as well as fifteen half-centuries in ODIs and four fifties in T20Is.
In an Instagram post Raut said, “From the streets of Mumbai to wearing the Indian jersey, this journey has been nothing short of a blessing. A journey filled with sacrifices, struggles, unforgettable victories, tough lessons, and moments I will cherish for a lifetime. Representing India was never just a dream fulfilled; it was a privilege I carried with immense pride.”
Raut’s career reached a turning point during India’s historic 2017 Women’s World Cup campaign. With 381 runs by the end of the competition, she was instrumental in the team’s progress to the final at Lord’s versus England. In the final match, Raut scored a valiant 86, but India was painfully defeated by nine runs. She had earlier in the competition scored a century against Ireland, setting a record with Deepti Sharma for an opening partnership of 320 runs.
Raut scored three hundreds and fifteen fifties while amassing 2,299 runs at an average of 34.83 in 73 ODIs. In 35 T20 International matches, she amassed 719 runs. In just four Test matches, she scored 264 runs, including a career-high 130 against South Africa in 2014.
Her career reached its pinnacle during the 2017 Women’s World Cup. Throughout the tournament, Raut amassed 381 runs, including a century of 109 against Ireland, where she and Deepti Sharma had a record 320-run opening partnership. After that, she scored 86 in the final match at Lord’s against England, when India just missed winning the championship.
