In a bombshell announcement which sent shockwaves around the cricket world, West Indies batsman and former captain Nicholas Pooran this evening confirmed his decision to retire from all forms of international cricket and end his West Indies playing career.
It comes with him in his prime, where he is the most dominant batsmen on the T20 circuits. The revelation comes on the heels of his decision to opt out of the ongoing white ball tours of England and Ireland.
Persons close to the 29-year-old Trinidadian hinted recently that he was considering the move and they expected him to make a call on his career. His last outing in the maroon of West Indies was against Bangladesh in St Vincent last December. He is now expected to concentrate on the global franchise circuit where he has lucrative contracts with Lucknow SuperGiants in the cash-rich Indian Premier League, Mumbai Indians New York in the Major League Cricket in the United States, and Trinbago Knight Riders in the Caribbean Premier League.
He posted the news on his social media pages. He also officially communicated the decision to the offices of Cricket West Indies (CWI). Efforts to reach Pooran yesterday evening were unsuccessful, while CWI issued a statement.
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.
A world-class player and a game changer, Nicholas 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.
His performances on the field and influence within the team have made a lasting impact on West Indies cricket.
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. (PS/CWI)
Done wid CWI.