West Indies’ star wicket-keeper batsman Nicholas Pooran announced his International retirement at the age of 29. He confirmed his retirement decision via an Instagram post and story. Along with the post, he wrote that this was very difficult, but I have thought long and hard about this.
After much thought and reflection, I’ve decided to announce my retirement from international cricket," Pooran wrote on Instagram.
In his statement, Pooran wrote, "To the cricket public, 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," he added.
“To the fans – thank you for your unwavering love. You lifted me in the tough moments and celebrated the good ones with unmatched passion. To my family, friends, and teammates – thank you for walking this journey with me. Your belief and support carried me through it all,” he said in his statement.
"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," he added.
Nicholas Pooran made his international debut in 2016, when he was selected for the national team to play against Pakistan in Dubai for the T20I series. After 3 years, he also made his ODI debut against England at Bridgetown. In T20Is, he scored 2275 runs in 106 matches, including 13 half-centuries. He is currently the leading run scorer for the West Indies. However, He scored 1983 runs in 61 ODI matches, 3 centuries, and 11 half-centuries. Shockingly, he hasn’t gotten a chance to play in test cricket in his international career so far.
Throughout his career, Nicholas has participated in numerous T20 Leagues, such as the IPL, CPL, ILT20, The Hundred, and numerous more. He has so far represented the Punjab Kings, Sunrisers Hyderabad, and Lucknow Super Giants in the Indian Premier League.
In a few series and ICC competitions, Pooran captained the West Indies cricket team full-time. Under his captaincy, the West Indies team's Performance was not so good. They even lost 14 matches out of 22 and took victory in only 8 matches. After Kieron Pollard’s retirement in T20Is in May 2022, he took over as the team's T20I captain. However, he stepped down as captain after the West Indies' poor performance in the 2022 T20 World Cup. Apart from T20Is, he also commanded 17 One-Day Internationals, of which the West Indies won just four. The West Indies will have to compete in the 2026 T20 World Cup, which will be held in India, in the upcoming cricket matches. But his retirement decision has rocked the cricket fraternity in the West Indies. In 2016, the West Indies became victorious in the ICC T20 World Cup, which was also held in India. To replace him, Cricket West Indies will now need to locate a fresh, explosive batsman.