Meg Lanning opts out of Cricket Victoria annual contract; club issues statement

Former Australia captain Meg Lanning has opted out of her annual contract with Cricket Victoria to pursue T20 franchise opportunities around the world. Lanning retired from international cricket in November 2023 and played four matches for Victoria in the previous season, but none after the conclusion of the Women's Big Bash League (WBBL).

Lanning has a contract with UP Warriorz in the Women's Premier League (WPL). She was paid INR 1.90 crore for playing the 2026 edition as she captained the side. She also has a contract with Manchester Super Giants in the Hundred and has been signed up by Lancashire for the T20 Blast.

The Aussie legend doesn't have a contract in the WBBL. She is off-contract with Melbourne Stars, having finished as the second-leading run-scorer in the previous season with a tally of 479 runs at an average of 53.22 and a strike rate of 136.07.

"We support Meg's decision," Cricket Victoria head of female cricket Kirby Short said in a statement. "The women's game is growing, and players are now presented with opportunities across the world, which is ultimately a positive reflection of the evolution of our game."

Short was unhappy with the team's performance in the previous season, where they lost all 12 games.

"We're certainly not proud of the results from last season, and we understand we need to be better." Short said. "What is most encouraging is the shared understanding that's come from our reflection.

"There is alignment across staff and players about the environment we want to create. It is going to take a lot of hard work, and we understand it will be a case of incremental progress, rather than chasing an overnight solution. We are certainly up for it."

Notably, tearaway pacer Tayla Vlaeminck and right-arm medium pacer Tess Flintoff have returned to the domestic circuit after losing their Cricket Australia contracts.

Victoria Women 2026-27 squad

Ira Aery, Sophie Day, Samara Dulvin, Nicole Faltum, Tess Flintoff, Kim Garth (CA), Hasrat Gill, Olivia Henry, Milly Illingworth, Rhys McKenna, Sophie Molineux (CA), Indigo Noble, Mia Perrin, Georgia Prestwidge, Zoe Samuel, Molly Strano, Annabel Sutherland (CA), Tayla Vlaeminck, Georgia Wareham (CA), Bronte Leishman (R)

*R: Rookie contract
*CA: Cricket Australia contract