Five of the best: A look back at Rachael Haynes' most valuable knocks
A two-time ICC Women's World Cup winner in 2013 and 2022, while also triumphant in two ICC Women's T20 World Cups in 2018 and 2020, Haynes retires as one of the most reliable players in recent times.
Haynes could be depended on to score well when required and the 35-year-old often rose to the occasion and saved her best for when the stakes were at their highest.
Here we look back at five of her most valuable knocks throughout her outstanding 13-year international career.
130 v England in Hamilton at 2022 Women's World Cup
Australia were keen to get their ICC Women's World Cup campaign off to a flyer and Haynes delivered in spades as she hit her highest ODI score to help her side post an imposing total of 310/3. To score that well you generally need to take plenty of risks, but Haynes' knock was calculated as she combined well with skipper Meg Lanning (86) to put on 196 for the second wicket and put the England bowlers to the sword.
68 v England in Christchurch at 2022 Women's World Cup final
Haynes obviously enjoyed taking on Australia's old Ashes foe as she once again scored freely against England with yet another tremendous innings in the final of the same World Cup. While team-mate Alyssa Healy stole the majority of the headlines for her brilliant 170, Haynes was once again happy to play the main supporting role as she helped put on 160 for the opening wicket alongside her fellow opener. The partnership gave Australia the early ascendancy in the clash and was a major reason why they claimed yet another major trophy.
52 v West Indies in Brabourne at 2013 Women's World Cup final
Rewind a little more than nine years earlier and Haynes played another knock of equal importance as she hit just her sixth ODI half-century of her career to help Australia claim their sixth 50-over World Cup title. Haynes opened the batting with a young Meg Lanning and the duo put on 52 for the opening wicket before her less experienced team-mate departed. Haynes then put her head down against some world-class bowling to grind out a valuable half-century and setup Australia's score of 259/7. Yet again Haynes allowed Jess Duffin (75) to take most of the headlines, but the left-hander's innings at the top of the order was just as valuable.
60 off 47 v Sri Lanka in Perth at 2020 Women's T20 World Cup
Australia were in a spot of bother when Haynes strode to the crease at 10/3 and in pursuit of Sri Lanka's decent total of 122/6 in what was a must-win encounter. The tension was rising on the Aussies after their loss to India in the opening match of the tournament and the pressure of hosting the tournament was evident and opposition teams were trying to take advantage. Enter Haynes.
She paced the run chase superbly alongside skipper Meg Lanning to ensure Australia pulled off a thrilling final over victory, with Haynes departing in the 18th over having taken her side from a spot of vulnerability into a winnable position. While perhaps not the best innings of her illustrious career, Haynes noted on Thursday that this was her most important.
Haynes 60 highlights
25* off 15 balls v West Indies at North Sound in 2018 T20 Women's World Cup semi-final
An innings of equal importance was in the cut-throat semi-final against a rampant West Indies side some two years earlier as Haynes showed true grit and determination to eek out a valuable unbeaten knock that guided Australia to a decent score of 142/5 on a tricky pitch that was providing plenty of assistance to the bowlers. Australia were able to defend that total with ease as they claimed yet another major trophy in style with the help from one of their best players of all time.
