June 10, 2025 – West Indies cricket faced a major setback. Star batter Nicholas Pooran retired from international cricket at 29. He announced the decision on Instagram on June 9, 2025. Pooran cited “much thought and reflection” for stepping away. The news shocked the global cricket community. He is West Indies’ most-capped T20I player and top run-scorer.
A Stellar Career Cut Short
Pooran debuted for the West Indies in a T20I against Pakistan in 2016. He became a key white-ball player. In 106 T20Is, he scored 2,275 runs with a 136.39 strike rate. This made him the West Indies’ highest T20I run-scorer. In 61 ODIs, he scored 1,983 runs, averaging 39.66. He hit three centuries and 11 fifties. His 170 T20 sixes in 2024 marked him as a feared batter.
Pooran’s career had challenges. He became white-ball captain in May 2022. He led 30 matches but won only eight. A first-round exit at the 2022 T20 World Cup led to his resignation. A 2019 ball-tampering ban against Afghanistan was a low point. Yet, he bounced back, leading West Indies to a 4-1 win over Australia in 2021. His last international game was a T20I series against Bangladesh in December 2024.
Pooran requested a break from Cricket West Indies recently. This followed a demanding IPL 2025 season with Lucknow Super Giants. He scored 524 runs at a 196.25 strike rate, including five half-centuries. In his Instagram post, he expressed gratitude: “This game gave me joy, purpose, and memories. Representing West Indies was everything. Wearing maroon and standing for the anthem was special.” He called captaining a “privilege” and thanked fans and teammates.
The Decision to Retire
Pooran’s retirement comes eight months before the 2026 T20 World Cup. India and Sri Lanka will co-host the event. In November 2024, Pooran said he could play “100 more T20Is.” Fans on X expressed shock. One wrote, “Pooran at 29 is too early. I’ll miss those fireworks.” Others worried that “franchise leagues are killing cricket.”
The timing of his retirement, exactly eight months before the 2026 T20 World Cup, to be held in collaboration with India and Sri Lanka, has raised many eyebrows as Pooran, in November 2024, claimed he could play “100 more T20Is.” X posts reflect fan disbelief. They feel, “Pooran at 29 is way too early. Gonna miss those fireworks,” and have worries over “franchise leagues killing cricket.”
West Indies Cricket Impact
Pooran’s exit is a significant blow to West Indies, already struggling to regain their white-ball dominance after missing the 2023 ODI World Cup. As their leading T20I run-scorer and a key middle-order batter, his absence leaves a void ahead of the 2026 T20 World Cup, which the Caribbean will co-host with the USA. Cricket West Indies praised the efforts of Pooran, stating, “Nicholas leaves the game as a world-class player and a game-changer. We salute his achievements and thank him for the moments he has given fans.”
The retirement underscores a growing trend of Caribbean players prioritizing lucrative T20 franchise leagues over international cricket, with Pooran expected to continue playing in the IPL, Caribbean Premier League, Major League Cricket, and The Hundred. His decision follows South Africa’s Heinrich Klaasen’s recent international retirement, prompting debates about the future of international cricket.
European and Global Reactions
European cricket fans, particularly in the UK and Ireland where Pooran was set to tour, expressed shock on X, with some blaming the “mercenary market” of T20 leagues for luring talent away from national teams. In the Netherlands, too, which is finding some footing for cricket, fans mourned the loss of a player who “illuminated the IPL” with his 40 sixes in 2025. Pooran’s announcement also fits into a flurry of high-profile retirements in 2025, alongside Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma from Test cricket, that are sparking talk about the changing face of the game.
Looking Ahead
Though Pooran’s foreign career is over, he still has a T20 franchise career. Retained by Lucknow Super Giants on a ₹21 crore contract before IPL 2025, he still is a hot property in international leagues. His status as West Indies’ T20I record-breaker and everybody’s darling remains, but his premature departure at 29 makes him a focal point for debate regarding the balance between franchise and international cricket.
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