West Indies batter Nicholas Pooran retires from international cricket

Pooran, who has never played Test matches for West Indies, leaves the game as the most capped West Indian in T20 Internationals with 106 matches and the leading T20I run-scorer with 2,275 runs

New Delhi: West Indies’ highest-ranked T20I batter Nicholas Pooran has called time on his nine-year international career.

The Trinidadian represented the West Indies 167 times, scoring 1983 ODI runs at 39.66 at a strike rate of 99.15. Pooran, who has never played Test matches for West Indies, leaves the game as the most capped West Indian in T20 Internationals with 106 matches and the leading T20I run-scorer with 2,275 runs. He last played for the West Indies in December 2024.

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“After much thought and reflection, I’ve decided to announce my retirement from international cricket. This game we love has given and will continue to give so much – joy, purpose, unforgettable memories, and a chance to represent the people of the West Indies. Wearing that maroon, standing for the anthem, and giving everything I had each time I stepped on the field… it’s hard to put into words what that truly means to me. To have led the team as captain is a privilege I will always hold close to my heart,” Pooran wrote in his statement on Instagram.

“Though this International chapter of my career closes, my love for West Indies Cricket will never fade. I wish the team and the region nothing but success and strength for the road ahead,” it read.

Pooran represented the West Indies at the 2014 U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup, before making his senior international debut two years later in a T20I against Pakistan. An ODI debut in 2018 followed, and the left-hander was named in the West Indies Cricket World Cup 2019 squad.

He was named vice-captain for the Caribbean side for the 2021 Men’s T20 World Cup, and took the captaincy reins in both white-ball formats across a six-month period in 2022, which included the team’s Men’s T20 World Cup campaign.

“Cricket West Indies extends sincere gratitude and appreciation to Nicholas Pooran for his outstanding contributions to West Indies cricket. Nicholas officially informed the leadership of his decision to retire from international cricket, bringing to a close a significant chapter in his career,” Cricket West Indies said in a statement.

“We salute his achievements and thank him for the moments he has given fans across the region and beyond. We wish him all the very best in the next phase of his journey,” it added. IANS