New Delhi, June 10 (H.S.): Nicholas Pooran has surprised the cricket world by retiring from international cricket at a young age of 29. Pooran has been the player with the most T20 international matches for the West Indies and is also the highest run-scorer in T20s. His decision comes at a time when the West Indies team is once again trying to establish itself in white-ball cricket. Recently, the West Indies team failed to qualify for the 2023 ODI World Cup, which was a significant setback for the team. In T20 cricket, Pooran is currently at the peak of his career. He hit the most sixes in a season last year, with a total of 170. In the recently concluded IPL 2025, he scored over 500 runs in a single season for the first time and hit 40 sixes, which is the highest figure for this season. However, Pooran was not selected for the current tour of England and Ireland, as he had requested a break from the West Indies cricket board. Pooran has never played Test cricket for the West Indies. He made his T20 international debut in September 2016 and debuted in ODI cricket in February 2019. However, since he was unable to secure a spot in the 2023 World Cup, he has been out of ODIs. Pooran captained both the ODI and T20 teams of the West Indies in 2022 but only managed to win 8 out of 30 matches. After the West Indies was eliminated in the first round of the T20 World Cup held in Australia in 2022, he stepped down from captaincy.

Nicholas Pooran announced his retirement through an emotional post on Instagram, stating, This game has given me so much - joy, purpose, unforgettable moments, and the honor of representing the people of West Indies. Wearing the maroon jersey, standing during the national anthem, and giving my all on the field has been a matter of pride for me. This international chapter is now closing, but my love for West Indies cricket will never end.

The Cricket West Indies (CWI) released a statement regarding Pooran's retirement, saying, Nicholas has formally announced his retirement from international cricket, marking the end of an important chapter in his career. He has been a world-class player and a match-winner. His contribution as the player with the most matches played and the most runs scored in T20 internationals will be indelible. Now the West Indies cricket team needs to fill a significant gap in the middle order before the next T20 World Cup, created by Pooran's sudden retirement. ---------------

Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar