Nicholas Pooran Retires: In a major blow to West Indies cricket, dynamic batter Nicholas Pooran has announced his retirement from international cricket at the age of 29. The decision, revealed on Monday, ends a career that saw Pooran become the most-capped T20I player and leading run-scorer in the format for the West Indies.
Pooran’s decision comes at a time when the West Indies are attempting to rebuild in white-ball formats, having missed qualification for the 2023 ODI World Cup. Despite his international absence in recent months, Pooran has remained in peak form on the franchise circuit. In IPL 2025, he surpassed 500 runs in a single season for the first time and topped the six-hitting charts with 40 maximums.
Pooran debuted in T20Is in September 2016 and in ODIs in February 2019. He has not featured in the 50-over format since the side’s failure to reach the 2023 World Cup. While he never played Test cricket, Pooran captained the limited-overs sides in 2022 but stepped down following West Indies’ early exit from the T20 World Cup in Australia.
His absence leaves a significant gap in the West Indies’ middle order ahead of the 2026 T20 World Cup, now just eight months away.
Nicholas Pooran Retires: What Did He Say?
In a statement shared on Instagram, Pooran reflected on his journey:
“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. Though this international chapter of my career closes, my love for West Indies cricket will never fade.”
Cricket West Indies confirmed the news in an official statement:
“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.”
Pooran’s explosive batting and leadership presence leave behind a void that will be difficult to fill as the team looks ahead to a new generation of cricketers.
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