Meghann Moira Lanning, known as Meg Lanning, is a renowned Australian cricketer celebrated as one of the greatest players and leaders in women’s cricket history.
Born on March 25, 1992, in Singapore to parents Wayne, a banker, and Sue, she moved with her family shortly afterward to the Sydney suburb of Thornleigh and later to Melbourne.
A right-handed top-order batter known for her aggressive stroke play and exceptional consistency, she earned nicknames such as Megastar and Serious Sally.
Lanning represented Australia across all formats from 2010 until her retirement from international cricket in November 2023, captaining the side for much of that period.
Siblings
Meg is the fourth sibling, with older brothers Jeff and Phil and an older sister Gemma, along with a younger sister, Anna Lanning.
The siblings often played cricket together in the backyard while growing up, fostering a shared passion for the sport amid a household that valued competitiveness and athletic activity.
Anna Lanning, born on March 25, 1994 – exactly two years after Meg – followed a similar path into cricket as a right-handed batter and occasional medium-pace bowler.
She has represented Victoria in the Women’s National Cricket League, played for teams including the Melbourne Stars and Melbourne Renegades in the Women’s Big Bash League, and competed for the ACT Meteors and Warwickshire, though she has not reached the international level.
The Lanning sisters shared a close bond through the game, with Meg noting the enjoyment of playing alongside Anna at domestic levels, while the broader family provided strong support throughout their cricketing journeys.
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Career
Lanning’s international career began with a T20I debut against New Zealand on December 30, 2010, followed by her ODI debut against England on January 5, 2011.
In only her second ODI, she scored an unbeaten century, becoming the youngest Australian to achieve that milestone in international cricket.
She made her Test debut against England in August 2013.
Appointed Australia’s youngest-ever captain at age 21 in early 2014, she led the team in over 180 matches across formats and guided it through a dominant era.
Under her leadership and as a key player, Australia secured multiple major titles, including an extended unbeaten run in ODIs.
Lanning amassed thousands of runs internationally, holding records such as the most Women’s ODI centuries.
She took a break from the game in 2022 for personal reasons before returning to lead Australia to further success.
After retiring from international cricket in November 2023, she continued in domestic competitions for Victoria and the Melbourne Stars in the Women’s Big Bash League, as well as in franchise leagues including the Women’s Premier League in India, where she has captained sides such as Delhi Capitals and later featured for UP Warriorz.
She has also expanded into other competitions, such as signing with Lancashire for the T20 Blast.
Accolades
As a player and captain, Lanning contributed to two Women’s Cricket World Cup victories in 2013 and 2022, five ICC Women’s World Twenty20 titles in 2012, 2014, 2018, 2020, and 2023, and a gold medal at the 2022 Commonwealth Games.
She holds the record for the most centuries in Women’s One Day Internationals and became the first Australian to reach 2,000 runs in T20 Internationals.
Individual recognition includes multiple Belinda Clark Awards as Australia’s top female cricketer, the ICC Women’s T20I Cricketer of the Year in 2014, the ICC Women’s ODI Cricketer of the Year in 2015, and the Wisden Leading Woman Cricketer in the World in 2015.
Additional honors encompass the Australian Women’s Health Sports Awards Leadership Legend award in 2019, the Carey Medal, and appointment as a Member of the Order of Australia in 2022 for significant service to women’s cricket at the elite level.
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