West Indies Star Pooran Shocks with International Retirement

Nicholas Pooran Shocks with Retirement from International Cricket at 29 Nicholas Pooran, former West Indies white-ball captain, has announced his retirement from international cricket at the age of just 29, despite being widely considered a key figure in the team's T20 future. Pooran ends his international career with: 1983 runs in 61 ODIs 2275 runs in 106 T20Is The announcement comes unexpectedly, especially as he had stated just last November, on the occasion of his 100th T20I, that he hoped to play 100 more T20Is for the West Indies. His last international appearance was in December 2024, in a T20I against Bangladesh in Kingstown. Pooran wrote in an emotional statement: “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.” Pooran debuted for West Indies in 2016 and became a prominent middle-order batter known for his flair and six-hitting. He also briefly captained the side in 2022 before stepping down after a poor T20 World Cup campaign. Despite his international exit, Pooran remains in blistering form: 2024 saw him hit more sixes (170) than any player in a single calendar year. He recently finished IPL 2025 with 524 runs at a strike rate of 196.25, including five fifties. He is expected to continue playing franchise cricket globally and remains one of the most sought-after T20 talents.