Melbourne (PTI): Australia's most successful T20 International batter and captain Aaron Finch, who led the country to its maiden shortest format World Cup triumph in 2021, announced his retirement from international cricket on Tuesday.
The 36-year-old will, however, continue to play for the Renegades in the Big Bash League and would consider domestic T20 opportunities in other countries.
"Our World Cup winning, longest serving men's T20I captain has called time on a remarkable career. Thanks for everything @AaronFinch5," Cricket Australia (CA) said on its official Twitter handle.
Finch's retirement from international cricket was on expected lines. He played just five Tests, the last one being in 2018, and retired from the ODIs last year after a much-publicised struggle for form as captain of the Australian team.
He captained the team to their first T20 World Cup title when they defeated New Zealand in Dubai in 2021 and is one of only four male Australians to captain a World Cup winning side.
But, the Australian team under him failed to qualify for the semifinals T20 World Cup at home last year. His last international match came in the T20 showpiece when he top-scored with 63 as Australia beat Ireland by 42 runs.
"Realising that I won't be playing on until the next T20 World Cup in 2024, now is the right moment to step down and give the team time to plan and build towards that event," Finch told reporters at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
"I also want to say a huge thank you to all the fans who have supported me throughout my international career."
The long-term white-ball skipper and longest-serving T20I captain represented Australia in 254 international matches across all formats, playing five Tests (278 runs), 146 ODIs (5406 runs) and 103 T20Is.
Since making his international debut in a T20I in January 2011, Finch amassed 8,804 runs in all formats which includes 17 ODI centuries and two T20I tons.
Finch led Australia in a world record 76 men's T20Is, as well as in 55 ODIs, before his retirement. He is Australia's most prolific T20I batter with 3120 runs from 103 matches at an average of 34.28, with two hundreds and 19 fifties, and a strike-rate of 142.53.
He also holds the record for the highest score in a T20I when blasting 172 runs from just 76 balls against Zimbabwe in Harare in 2018, an incredible knock that included 10 sixes and 16 fours.
Finch was also a part of the Australia team that won the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup in 2015.
"Team success is what you play the game for and the maiden T20 World Cup win in 2021 and lifting the ODI World Cup on home soil in 2015 will be the two memories I cherish the most," Finch said.
"To be able to represent Australia for 12 years and play with and against some of the greatest players of all time has been an incredible honour."
Finch said he is hopeful of playing franchise cricket, insisting that it is only the "international cricket that I'm walking away from at the moment."
"I'm hopeful to play in The Hundred (in the UK) because that's a competition I was really excited about for a couple of years, but then didn't get the opportunity with COVID and then some tours that came up," he said.
"And if anything else pops up and it's at the right time, I'd definitely be interested."
Finch, who has represented nine IPL teams, will also be commentating during the upcoming season of the league and the ODI World Cup in India later this year.
"Plus I've been lucky enough to sign with Star India for some commentary stuff through the IPL and the 50-over World Cup (in India later this year), so that will be good fun.
"I've loved the broadcast side of it, since I've done a bit more of it this year and last year. You get to sit there and watch cricket and talk about it it's the best job in the world, besides playing."
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New Delhi (PTI): The Delhi High Court has advocated for a compassionate approach prioritising "understanding" over "punishment" in criminal cases involving adolescent love, saying the law should evolve to acknowledge such relationships that were consensual and free from coercion.
Affirming that consensual and respectful adolescent love was a natural part of human development, Justice Jasmeet Singh said adolescents should be allowed to express their feelings and engage in relationships without fear of criminalisation.
"I believe that societal and legal views on adolescent love should emphasise the rights of young individuals to engage in romantic relationships that are free from exploitation and abuse," said the court.
In an order passed on January 30 and made available on February 14, the judge said, "Love is a fundamental human experience and adolescents have the right to form emotional connections. The law should evolve to acknowledge and respect these relationships, as long as they are consensual and free from coercion."
The high court said the focus of the law should be on preventing exploitation and abuse rather than punishing love.
"While the legal age of consent is important for protecting minors, I feel that adolescents should be allowed to express their feelings and engage in relationships without fear of criminalisation," it added.
The order went on to add, "I affirm that consensual and respectful adolescent love is a natural part of human development."
The high court therefore upheld a trial court judgement acquitting a man for the alleged offence of penetrative sexual assault under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act.
In December 2014, a complaint was lodged with the police by the girl's father that his minor daughter had not returned home from tuition. An apprehension was raised against the man since he was also missing from his house.
Investigation was conducted and the girl, who was around 16 years of age at the time of the incident, was brought back home, while a case was lodged against the man for allegedly sexually assaulting the minor.
The high court, while upholding the man's acquittal and dismissing the state's plea against the trial court's decision, said the acquittal order was well reasoned and did not require any interference.
"I am of the view that it has not been proved beyond reasonable doubt by the prosecution that the prosecutrix is a minor as well as the prosecutrix is certain that the relationship was with her consent," held the court.
The judge relied on a previous judgement of the high court dealing with the proposition that when a girl over 16 years, made a statement that she had consented to the relationship and it could be accepted, the court was within its power in quashing the proceedings under Sections 363 and 376 of IPC.
The high court had cautioned that there could be no straitjacket formula to be applied.
"Therefore, the age of majority as prescribed, must be construed and interpreted in the context of the law for which it is being considered and in a case of this nature, where the minor is certain and unshaken in her opinion and desire, it would not be right and proper for this court to brush aside her views on the ground that she is not 18 years of age as on date and is only 16 years, 10 months, 21 days old," Justice Singh said.
The court observed that it would be harsh and unjust to convict an individual under the POCSO Act without definitive proof of the age of the prosecutrix, especially when the age gap for the minor survivor to attain majority was only one or two years.
The court said the legal system must safeguard the rights of young individuals to love while ensuring their safety and well-being.
"I advocate for a compassionate approach that prioritises understanding over punishment in cases involving adolescent love," the judge said.
Facts of the case "clearly" indicated to the court that the girl's willingness to accompany the man and he established physical relations with her consent.
The court held the girl's medical report did not support the prosecution's case in the absence of injuries of resistance to the sexual act.