West Indies skipper Kieron Pollard retires from international cricket

Kieran Pollard of the West Indies team announced his retirement from international cricket yesterday, April 20, 2022. The former skipper decided to step back after 15 years in international games.

Pollard breaks the news himself on his social media account as he wrote, “After careful deliberation, I have today decided to retire from international cricket. As is the case for many young persons, it was a dream of mine to represent the West Indies team from the time I was a boy of 10 years and I am proud to have represented West Indies cricket for over 15 years in both the T20i and ODI forms of the game.”

“As I move on and make room for those who will carry the game forward in West Indian colours, know that I will always be supporting in whatever way I can. It is with profound gratitude for living my dream that I now raise my bat in salute to all that is West Indies cricket,” he added.

Pollard's last international game was held on February 20, 2022, in Kolkata against Team India. Even if he retires from international cricket, he will still play in T20 and T10 leagues anywhere in the world.

Pollard’s international cricket history

Pollard is an all-rounder originating from Trinidad who debuted back in 2007 in South Africa. He played 123 ODIs and 101 T20Is within the duration of his international career. He was taken by the Mumbai Indians team to play in the 2014 season of the T20 Indian Premier League. He came back on this year of IPL for the same team.

Pollard has played in 224 international ODI and T20I matches. He is second to David Miller with 238 matches as the highest match played in men's international cricket without a Test cap.

The 34-year-old played 101 T20I matches and is the only one to surpass 100 matches in T20Is men without a Test cap. He earned the title of most-capped men's cricketer in the West Indies team.

During the first T20I of the three-match series in 2021, he struck six sixes in Akila Dananjaya's third over. He follows the path of Yuvraj Singh who achieved the title first at the World T20 in 2007 as he bats off Stuart Broad’s ball.

Pollard has a sixes-per-innings ratio of 1.2 in ODI games where he hits a six every 21.23 balls. He is second only to Shahid Afridi who has an average of 19.64 balls.

Pollard batted 99 sixes in his career in T20I, making him the third player to bat the highest number of sixes for the West Indies team. He is behind Chris Gayle at 124 sixes and Evin Lewis at 110 sixes.

Mumbai all-rounder also scored more sixes than fours in T20I matches at 99 sixes and 94 fours. He joins two other players who have the same achievement. Andre Russell bats 62 sixes with 42 fours and Evin Lewis bats 110 sixes with 106 fours.