Former West Indies T20I captain Nicholas Pooran made a surprise decision on Tuesday as he announced his retirement from international cricket, aged 29. Pooran, who was recently in action in the IPL 2025 season with the Lucknow Super Giants, mentioned the decision as a “difficult” one as he shared a note on Instagram.
“To the Cricket Public: After much thought and reflection, I’ve decided to announce my retirement from International Cricket. This game we love has given and will continue to give so much – joy, purpose, unforgettable memories, and a chance to represent the people of the West Indies. 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,” Pooran wrote.
The hard-hitting southpaw made his West Indies debut in 2016 and became the team’s most capped T20I batter (106) and the highest run-scorer for the side (2275). In only 97 innings, Pooran has smashed 149 T20I sixes, the best for the West Indies and fifth-highest overall. Having amassed over 4000 runs in international cricket, Pooran led the Windies outfit in 17 ODIs and 23 T20Is between 2021 and 2022.
From a young boy with a dream to wear the Maroon, to a global star inspiring millions — WI thank you, Nicky P. 🙏🏽 pic.twitter.com/2UPsXCGQgy
— Windies Cricket (@windiescricket) June 9, 2025
“To have led the team as captain is a privilege I will always hold close to my heart. To the fans – thank you for your unwavering love. You lifted me in the tough moments and celebrated the good ones with unmatched passion. To my family, friends, and teammates, thank you for walking this journey with me. Your belief and support carried me through it all. Though this International chapter of my career closes, my love for West Indies Cricket will never fade. I wish the team and the region nothing but success and strength for the road ahead,” Pooran added.
Pooran recently topped the six-hitting charts in the IPL season with 40 maximums, and remains one of the most feared ball-strikers in the franchise circuit. Pooran only follows his Caribbean compatriots Chris Gayle, Kieron Pollard and Andre Russell in the T20 sixes charts, with a staggering 639 sixes in 398 appearances.
