Nicholas Pooran, the former captain of the West Indies white-ball team, has announced his retirement from international cricket at the age of 29. He finishes his career with 1,983 runs in 61 One Day Internationals (ODIs) and 2,275 runs in 106 Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is).
Recently, Pooran chose not to be part of the West Indies’ T20I series against England and had not played in ODIs since the team’s exit from the 2023 ODI World Cup Qualifiers. His retirement is surprising because just last November, during his 100th T20I match, he mentioned that he could play another 100 T20Is.
In a post on social media, Pooran shared on Monday: “After a lot of thinking, I have decided to retire from international cricket. This sport we cherish has given us so much – joy, purpose, unforgettable moments, and the chance to represent the people of the West Indies.
Wearing that maroon jersey, standing for the anthem, and giving my all every time I stepped onto the field… it’s hard to express what that means to me. Leading the team as captain is a privilege I will always treasure.”
To all the fans, I want to express my gratitude for your constant support. You lifted me during hard times and celebrated the good moments with incredible enthusiasm.
To my family, friends, and teammates, thank you for being on this journey with me. Your faith and encouragement helped me through everything. Even though this international chapter of my career is coming to an end, my love for West Indies Cricket will always remain strong.
I wish the team and the region nothing but success and resilience in the future.
Pooran made his debut for the West Indies in 2016 against Pakistan in the UAE, and three years later, he got his first ODI cap against England.
In 2022, he became the white-ball captain of the West Indies but stepped down after a tough T20 World Cup in Australia that year. His last game for the West Indies was in December 2024 during a home T20I series against Bangladesh in Kingstown.
However, 2024 was arguably his best year as he hit a record number of sixes in a single year (170). He ended IPL 2025 with 524 runs at a strike rate of 196.25, including five half-centuries.
He was also expected to play an important role in West Indies’ strategy for the upcoming 2026 T20 World Cup early next year.
