Clarke bids adieu to ODIs as World Champion

Clarke, who is just three days short of his 34th birthday, goes out after playing 245 ODIs scoring 7981 runs with eight hundreds and 58 half-centuries. He will, however, continue to play for Australia in Test format.

In a dream farewell, Michael Clarke today retired from ODIs after leading Australia to their fifth cricket World Cup title, scoring a match-winning 74 in his swansong appearance to get a standing ovation from a 93,000-strong crowd at the MCG.

Australia outplayed New Zealand by 7 wickets as Clarke became the fourth Australian captain after Allan Border (1987), Steve Waugh (1999) and Ricky Ponting (2003, 2007) to win the coveted 50-over prize in world cricket

The stylish right-hander, who has been under immense pressure to hold his place in the ODI side, announced his retirement after the semi-final win against India in Sydney. ‘Pup’, as he is fondly called, said the time was just right to bid adieu to OD

It has been a quite a summer for the Australians after young batsman Phillip Hughes lost his life in November last year. Clarke, who considered Hughes as his younger brother, has since worn a black armband and dedicated the World Cup win to the Macksville

Clarke led his country in 74 ODIs, of which Australia won 50. In 108 Tests he played so far, Clarke has scored 8432 runs at an average of 50.79 with 28 hundreds and 27 half centuries.