Inquirers were left astonished on June 10 when West Indies cricketer Nicholas Pooran, aged 29 years, declared his retirement from international cricket. He shared this sorrowful decision on social media, mentioning how difficult it was for him. Pooran ended his international career having accumulated over 4,000 runs in 61 T20s and 106 ODIs.
His unexpected announcement comes after he had asked to withdraw from the recent white-ball series in England soon after completing a stint for Lucknow Super Giants in the 2025 IPL. He had an excellent season; scoring 524 runs in 14 matches with a strike rate nearing 200. “After much thought and reflection, I’ve decided to announce my retirement from international cricket,” he said in his Instagram statement. Pooran proved to be an outstanding cricketer and went on to captain the West Indies in T20s.
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It is astonishing that he chose this moment to retire, with the next T20 World Cup slated to go ahead in India and Sri Lanka in just about eight months. “I have loved the game; it gave me happiness, a sense of purpose, and memories to cherish, whereas wearing the West Indies colors meant the world to me,” Pooran remarked.
He thanked his supporters for their love and support that has seen him through tough times. There are other thanks for his family, friends, and teammates who stood just beside him throughout. Pooran made his international debut in 2016 and last played an ODI in July 2023. He took part in last-year’s T20 World Cup and then bit the dust in a T20I in December of 2024.
Even as an ex-player, Pooran will forever rank among the staunch supporters of West Indies cricket. “Though this international chapter of my career closes, my love for West Indies cricket will never fade,” Pooran said.
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His career now, however, will be about various T20 leagues across the globe. In the IPL 2025, he was one of the highest-paid players, retained by Lucknow at a huge price. This retirement speaks of a bigger malaise in international cricket and in particular in the Caribbean continent, where most top players are prioritizing T20 leagues over playing for their country.
A recent example of such an agitating resignation was that of Heinrich Klaasen from South Africa, who hung up his international boots at the age of 33.
