Nicholas Pooran Retires From International Cricket

The dynamic West Indies opener Nicholas Pooran sent shockwaves in the cricketing world after announcing a shock retirement at 29. Pooran is the leading run-scorer for West Indies in the shortest format of the game & also the most capped player in T20Is for the West Indies.

This news comes as a big blow to the West Indies cricket team, which was slowly moving towards staging a comeback in International cricket after missing out on qualification for the 2023 ODI World Cup and 2025 Champions Trophy.

Pooran is at the peak of his skills, having smashed 170 sixes last year in the highest in the T20I format. In the just-concluded IPL, Pooran managed to breach 500 runs in a season for the first time and smashed 40 sixes - the most in this year's tournament.

The 29-year-old was not picked for the ongoing tour to England and Ireland after he had requested Cricket West Indies for a break. Pooran didn't play test cricket. The left-handed southpaw made his T20I debut in 2016 & ODI debut in 2019. However, the left-hander hasn't featured in an ODI game ever since the West Indies missed the bus for the 2023 ODI World Cup.

Pooran has also captained West Indies full-time in limited-overs internationals in 2022 but won just 8 games out of 30 across both formats. West Indies' first-round exit in the 2022 T20 World Cup in Australia prompted him to step down as the leader.

Pooran Bids Adieu

"This game we love has given me so much joy, purpose & most importantly, got a chance to represent the West Indies, standing for the national anthem, the immense joy, the memories I'll keep close to my heart.

"Though my time as an international cricketer has come to an end, I wish the region all the very best for their upcoming tournaments."

Cricket West Indies (CWI) said in a statement:

"Nicholas Pooran has conveyed his decision to the team & the management to retire from the International game." Pooran has been a dynamic player for us, especially in the 20-20 format, being the most capped player for us (106) T20I matches, scoring 2275 runs. Pooran's presence in the team has made a long-lasting impact on West Indies cricket.

Nicholas Pooran International Records

• 5th in the world for most sixes in T20I career (149),
• 3rd in most consecutive T20I innings without a duck (71),
• 8th in most T20I catches (53),
• 10th in most dismissals as a wicketkeeper in T20Is (61).
• Most capped T20I player for West Indies (106 matches),
• Highest run-scorer for West Indies in T20Is (2,275)