Elegant and stylish are some words which are used to describe Meg Lanning’s batting while intelligent and calm are associated with her captaincy style. At 30, Lanning was already one of the best batters to have ever played in the women’s game. The list of accolades keeps increasing every year with no sign of stopping the solid performances.
She started playing cricket at the age of 10 and her talent saw her soon represent New South Wales at the primary level. She made her senior domestic debut for Victoria in 2008 at the age of 16. In a couple of years’ time, she was already playing for Australia.
She broke out on the international stage, when she scored an ODI century in only her second game, breaking the record of the youngest Australian centurion ever at 18. That record was previously held by her idol, Ricky Ponting. She was a crucial part of the Aussie team which won the 2012 T20 World Cup and 2013 ODI World Cup. During this period, she also broke the record for the fastest ODI century by an Aussie player, when scored one off 45 balls.
In early 2014, she became the youngest Australian captain, when she stood for Jodie Fields. A month later, she was named the full-time T20I captain and led Australia to the 2014 T20 World Cup win, where she was also the highest run-getter. Her dominance with the bat continued while her team kept getting stronger and stronger.
She led Australia to 2018, 2020 and 2023 T20 World Cup titles along with the 2022 ODI World Cup. This meant, she was the captain with the most ICC titles (5) surpassing Ricky Ponting (4) yet again. She also led her side to the Gold Medal at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham. She also holds the record for most centuries in the women’s game with 17 to her name. Her leadership, tactical sharpness and consistency under pressure ensured Australia’s dominance endured, while her decision to step away from international cricket in 2024 marked the end of one of the most successful captaincy reigns the sport has seen.
In the Women’s Premier League, Meg Lanning emerged as the cornerstone of Delhi Capitals’ early success, captaining the side to the final in each of the first three seasons from 2023 to 2025. She led from the front with consistent runs at the top, shaping the Capitals into one of the league’s strongest teams, even though the title eluded them on all three occasions. Released ahead of the 2026 season, Lanning was roped in by UP Warriorz at the auction, opening a new chapter in her WPL journey after defining the league’s formative years with her leadership and impact.
