Nicholas Pooran Archives

Andre Russell to follow Nicholas Pooran, set to retire from International cricket

West Indies all-rounder Andre Russell is set to follow Nicolas Pooran’s footsteps in retiring from International cricket during the T20I series against Australia.

A month earlier, former West Indies white-ball captain Nicholas Pooran had stunned cricket fans around the world as he announced his retirement from international cricket at just 29 years of age.

The left-handed batter, who had become a vital part of the West Indies’ limited-overs setup, brought the curtain down on an international career spanning eight years.

Now, the 37-year-old Russell, who has been named in the West Indies squad for the five-match series against Australia set to commence on 20 July at Sabina Park is also in line to bid farewell to international cricket.

According to Cricinfo, the opening two games of the series at Andre Russell’s home ground will be his farewell matches. The all-rounder known for his explosive batting has 84 T20I caps to his name and has only featured in the shorter format for the West Indies since 2019.

Andre Russell, hailing from Jamaica, is the second high-profile West Indies player after Nicholas Pooran to hang up his boots in international cricket in less than two months.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

Andre Russel was a vital cog of the West Indies squads that won the T20 World Cup in 2012 and 2016.

Following the squad announcement for the series against Australia, head coach Daren Sammy expressed confidence ahead of the 2026 World Cup to be held in India and Sri Lanka.

“Our goals and strategic plans are aligned to winning the T20 World Cup in 2026,” he said.

“We have continuity in the squad from the previous series and as a unit we will continue to fine tune our style and brand ahead of the World Cup,” he added.

Sammy mentioned previous series results while stressing on the momentum for the next few months.

“Our previous two T20 series at home we were on the wrong end of the results but starting against Australia, we want to regain our form at home as we build momentum into next year’s World Cup with our exciting and dynamic group of players,” he concluded.

West Indies squad for T20Is against Australia

Shai Hope (capt), Jewel Andrew, Jediah Blades, Roston Chase, Matthew Forde, Shimron Hetmyer, Jason Holder, Akeal Hosein, Alzarri Joseph, Brandon King, Evin Lewis, Gudakesh Motie, Rovman Powell, Andre Russell, Sherfane Rutherford, Romario Shepherd

READ: Tri-series: Jacobs, Robinson propel New Zealand to victory over South Africa

Pooran-Pollard masterclass powers MI New York into MLC 2025 final

DALLAS: The West Indian duo of Nicholas Pooran and Kieron Pollard lit up the Grand Prairie Stadium on Friday night, dismantling Texas Super Kings with brutal hitting to power MI New York into the final of Major League Cricket (MLC) 2025 with a commanding seven-wicket victory.

After a dismal start to their campaign, losing six of their first seven matches, MI New York have now booked a spot in their second MLC final in three years, setting up a title clash against defending champions Washington Freedom on Sunday.

Opting to bowl first after winning the toss, MI New York struck early. Smit Patel was the first to go for 9, undone by Tristan Luus in the fourth over with the score at 29.

Luus and Rushil Ugarkar then ran through the Super Kings’ top order, leaving them reeling at 43-3 by the end of the Powerplay.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

While Faf du Plessis tried to hold the innings together with a composed 59 off 42 balls, Marcus Stoinis never looked settled and was dismissed for 6 by Ugarkar.

Luus returned to remove du Plessis just as he was threatening to shift gears, leaving the scoreboard in a precarious state at 85-5.

However, the final flourish came from Akeal Hosein and Donovan Ferreira, who stitched together an unbeaten 81-run stand off just 46 deliveries.

Hosein smashed a blistering 55* off 32 balls, peppered with four fours and four sixes, while Ferreira supported well with 32* off 20 as Texas Super Kings ended at a competitive 166-5.

Luus finished with impressive figures of 3-35, while Ugarkar picked up 2-31. No other MI bowler managed a breakthrough.

Watch MLC 2025 Live on ARY ZAP

In response, MI New York’s chase began on shaky ground. Quinton de Kock fell cheaply for 9, miscuing a pull shot off Zia-ul-Haq, and Michael Bracewell (8) didn’t last long either, departing soon after the powerplay to Akeal Hosein.

Monank Patel anchored the innings with a solid 49 off 39, hitting five boundaries and two sixes, but his dismissal by Noor Ahmed in the 13th over with the score at 83-3 left the game in a tense balance.

What followed was a ruthless counterattack as Nicholas Pooran and Kieron Pollard tore into the Super Kings’ bowling. The pair added 89 unbeaten runs off just 40 deliveries to seal the match in the penultimate over.

Pooran remained unbeaten on 52 off 36 balls, striking four boundaries and three sixes, while Pollard rolled back the years with a vintage 47* off just 22, smashing seven boundaries, including three massive sixes.

READ: PCB announces Pakistan Shaheens squad for Top End T20 Series

West Indies batter announces shock retirement at 29

Former West Indies white-ball captain Nicholas Pooran has stunned cricket fans around the world as he announced his retirement from international cricket at just 29 years of age.

The left-handed batter, who had become a vital part of the West Indies’ limited-overs setup, shared the news through an emotional statement on his social media accounts on Monday, bringing the curtain down on an international career that spanned eight years.

“After much thought and reflection, I’ve decided to announce my retirement from international cricket,” Pooran wrote.

“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.

“To have led the team as captain is a privilege I will always hold close to my heart.”

He also extended his heartfelt gratitude to his fans and teammates for their unwavering love and support throughout his international career.

“To the fans – thank you for your unwavering love. You lifted me in the tough moments and celebrated the good ones with unmatched passion,” he further wrote.

“To my family, friends and teammates – thank you for walking the journey with me. Your belief and support carried me through it all.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

“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.”

Nicholas Pooran made his T20I debut in 2016 against Pakistan in the UAE and earned his ODI cap three years later against England.

Though he was handed the white-ball captaincy in 2022, Pooran stepped down following West Indies’ disappointing campaign at the T20 World Cup in Australia later that year.

In 61 ODIs, he scored 1983 runs at an impressive average of 39.66 and a strike rate of 99.15.

In T20Is, he not only became West Indies’ most-capped player with 106 appearances but also their highest run-scorer, amassing 2275 runs at an average of 26.14 and a strike rate of 136.39.

“Cricket West Indies [CWI] extends sincere gratitude and appreciation to Nicholas Pooran for his outstanding contributions to West Indies cricket,” a statement from CWI said on Monday.

“We salute his achievements and thank him for the moments he has given fans across the region and beyond. We wish him all the very best in the next phase of his journey.”

READ: Shaheen Afridi, Mohammad Rizwan among Pakistan players to enter BBL 15 draft

Nicholas Pooran breaks Mohammad Rizwan’s three-year-old T20 record

West Indies wicketkeeper batter Nicholas Pooran broke his Pakistan counterpart Mohammad Rizwan’s record of scoring the most T20 runs in a calendar year.

Pooran achieved the milestone during the 30th match of the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) 2024 between Trinbago Knight Riders and Barbados Royals.

Nicholas Pooran needed just five runs to go past Mohammad Rizwan’s record of 2,036 runs, set in 2021, and he achieved the milestone in the first over of the Knight Riders’ innings.

Nicholas Pooran has now amassed an astonishing 2,059 runs from 65 innings, with a remarkable strike rate of 160.63.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

Earlier, the in-form batter also broke Chris Gayle’s record of hitting the most sixes in a calendar year.

Pooran has thus far hit more than 150 sixes in the year 2024, surpassing Gayle, who hit 135 sixes in 2015.

In the ongoing CPL 2024, Pooran has amassed 312 runs from nine innings at a strike rate of 175.28. His recent performance helped secure a 30-run victory against Barbados Royals.

South Africa’s Reeza Hendricks trails behind with 1,555 runs, followed by Pakistan’s Babar Azam with 1,480 runs.

READ: Rohit Sharma admits risking collapse to defeat Bangladesh in Kanpur Test

Nicholas Pooran, bowlers steer West Indies to dominant win over Afghanistan

SAINT LUCIA: Nicholas Pooran played a stellar 98-run knock, while the bowlers exhibited a dominant performance, propelling West Indies to a resounding win over Afghanistan in an ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 encounter at the Daren Sammy National Cricket Stadium on Monday.

The Caribbean side registered a huge 104-run victory to remain undefeated in the group stage of the ongoing tournament, while Afghanistan suffered their first loss.

Afghanistan, while chasing a mammoth 219-run target, bundled out for 114 in 16.2 overs.

West Indies’ spinner Akeal Hosein started the defence with a wicket maiden over, dismissing star batter Rahmanullah Gurbaz on a duck.

Ibrahim Zadran then constructed a one-sided partnership of 45 runs for the second wicket with Gulbadin Naib (7).

However, West Indies bowlers halted Afghanistan’s progress with three quick wickets to leave the batting side reeling at 59-4.

Gudakesh Motie dismissed Naiib, while Ibrahim and Najibullah Zadran fell prey to Obed McCoy in the same over.

Ibrahim Zadran top-scored with 38 runs from 28 balls, with the help of five boundaries and one six.

Azmatullah Omarzai showed some resistance amid falling wickets with a 23-run knock from 19 balls, while Karim Janat (14) and Rashid Khan (18) played quick cameos but could not bring their side back in the game.

Rashid Khan was the last wicket to fall as his team folded for a paltry 114 in 16.2 overs.

McCoy led the bowling for West Indies with the figures of 3-14, while Hosein and Motie bagged two wickets each.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

Sent into bat by Afghanistan, the co-hosts of the tournament started their innings with a boundary off the first delivery.

The opening pair of Brandon King (7) and Johnson Charles raised 22 runs in the first ten balls with four boundaries before Azmatullah Omarzai castled the former.

Charles was joined on the crease by Pooran and together launched an onslaught on Afghanistan bowlers. They took only 38 balls to score 80 runs for the second wicket.

Pooran decimated Omarzai in the fourth over, which went for 36 runs, hitting 26 runs with three sixes and two fours.

Charles and Pooran propelled West Indies to 92-1 in the powerplay, which is the highest in a T20 World Cup game.

However, Naveen-ul-Haq dismissed Charles in the eighth over to break the partnership with 102 runs on the board. Chares scored 43 off 27 with eight boundaries.

Pooran slowed down briefly after the powerplay, while Shai Hope played a quick 25-run cameo off 17 balls with two sixes to keep West Indies in control.

Skipper Rovman Powell joined Pooran and they started things cautiously before switching gears after the 15th over.

During the 64-run stand, Pooran hit Rashid Khan for 24 runs in the 18th over before Gulbadin Naib sent Powell back. The West Indian captain scored 26 runs from 15 balls.

Meanwhile, Pooran fell courtesy of a runout in the last over after playing a blistering knock of 98 runs from 53 balls, laced with six boundaries and eight sixes.

Andre Russell (3) and Sherfane Rutherford (1) remained unbeaten as West Indies posted a mammoth 218-5 in 20 overs.

Gulbadin Naib led the bowling charts for Afghanistan with two wickets, while Omarzai and Naveen-ul-Haq managed one each.

READ: France edge Austria in Euro 2024 opener as Mbappe gets broken nose

Pooran outshines Varma as West Indies edge 2nd T20I against India

A brilliant 67 from Nicholas Pooran eclipsed a maiden international half-century from Tilak Varma as West Indies edged their way to a dramatic two-wicket win over India in the second T20I in Guyana on Sunday.

India struggled to 152-7 after winning the toss and batting first and, in spite of Pooran, appeared to be heading for victory when West Indies lost four wickets for three runs to slip to 129-8.

However, tailenders Alzarri Joseph and Akeal Hosein kept their cool and slogged the winning runs to see the West Indies home with seven balls to spare.

“We always knew it was going to come down to how we batted against spin,” said West Indies captain Rovman Powell.

“It shows cricket is a game of glorious uncertainties.”

After winning Thursday’s opener in Tarouba by four runs, West Indies take a 2-0 lead in the five-match T20I series.

The 20-year-old Varma, who helped light up the IPL with 343 runs for the Mumbai Indians this season, made 51 from 41 balls before clipping left-arm spinner Akeal Hosein to fine leg where Obed McCoy pouched the catch.

Varma came to the crease in the fourth over after Shubman Gill was caught at third man off Joseph and Suryakumar Yadav, playing his 50th T20I, was run out by a direct hit from Kyle Mayers to leave India on 18 for two.

Varma added 42 for the third wicket with Ishan Kishan before the opener was bowled by Romario Shepherd for 27.

After the dismissal of Varma, who hit five fours and one six in his 51, it was left to skipper Hardik Pandya with 24 from 18 balls to drag the Indians towards a half-decent target.

“That was not a pleasing batting performance by us,” said Pandya. “The wickets were falling and the track was on the slower side. We were not good enough to get to 160 plus.”

West Indies made the worst possible start as Pandya removed Brandon King and Johnson Charles in the first four balls of their reply.

Pooran, however, quickly found his range clubbing six fours and four sixes in his 40-ball 67.

“The way he batted from two for two, it was incredible,” admitted Pandya.

Mayers (15) and Powell (21) offered some support and West Indies appeared to be in control until Nicholas Pooran hammered Mukesh Kumar to Samson in the covers.

From 126-4, West Indies lost four wickets for just three runs, three of them in the 16th over delivered by Yuzvendra Chahal.

The third of those saw Shimron Hetmyer eighth man out, leg before on review for 22.

At 129-8, they still needed 24 from the last four overs with just two wickets remaining. Joseph and Hosein, however, edged them to victory.

The tourists won the preceding two-Test series 1-0 before beating the West Indies 2-1 in the ODIs.

READ: Montreal Tigers stun Surrey Jaguars to win maiden GT20 title

Ton-up Nicholas Pooran propels MI New York to win inaugural MLC title

DALLAS: MI New York captain Nicholas Pooran’s unbeaten century in the run chase powered his side to win the inaugural edition of the Major League Cricket (MLC).

In the first final of the first edition of the MLC, MI New York handed a seven-wicket thrashing to Seattle Orcas.

Set to chase a massive 184, MI New York completed the run chase in just 16 overs, thanks to a berserk 137 by Nicholas Pooran.

MI New York had a contrasting start to the run chase as they lost their opener Steven Taylor for nought in the first over.

Pooran, coming out to bat at number three, soon launched recovery as he stitched a one-sided 62-run partnership with Shayan Jahangir (10) before the latter perished in the fifth over.

Pooran continued to dominate the Orcas’ bowlers with belligerent hitting and was involved in another crucial partnership for MI New York, adding 75 runs for the third wicket with Dewald Brevis, who could score 20 from 18 deliveries before getting run out in the 13th over.

Click to watch MLC Live on ARY ZAP

Nicholas Pooran’s onslaught continued after Brevis’s dismissal and he soon muscled his side to MLC glory in 16 overs, receiving minor support from Tim David, who scored an unbeaten 10.

Pooran top-scored for MI New York with an unbeaten century in the MLC final. His 55-ball 137 featured 10 boundaries and 13 sixes.

For the Orcas, Wayne Parnell and Imad Wasim could pick up a wicket apiece.

Put into bat first in the MLC final, Seattle Orcas registered a commendable total of 183/9 on the board with Quinton de Kock leading the way with a brilliant half-century.

The opening batter top-scored for the Orcas with a 52-ball 87, laced up with nine boundaries and four sixes.

Besides him, Shubham Ranjane (29 off 16) and Dwaine Pretorius (21 off seven) were the notable run-getters while the rest made meagre contributions.

Rashid Khan and Trent Boult spearheaded the MI New York bowling attack with three wickets each while Steven Taylor and David Wiese made one scalp each.

READ: Bayern’s Sadio Mane set to join Ronaldo at Saudi’s Al Nassr

Hope, Powell take over West Indies white-ball captaincy from Pooran

ANTIGUA: Cricket West Indies (CWI) have confirmed that Shai Hope and Rovman Powell will be the new captains of the ODI and T20I teams, respectively, taking over the roles from Nicholas Pooran.

Pooran stepped down from the captaincy of both white-ball formats following the West Indies’ forgettable campaign in the last year’s ICC T20 World Cup in November, facing an early exit from the tournament in the first round.

The first assignments for both captains will be the upcoming tour of South Africa in March where the West Indies face the Proteas in three ODIs and three T20Is from 16 to 28 March, following two matches in the ICC World Test Championship, said CWI on Wednesday.

With the 50-Over World Cup in sight later this year, wicket-keeper batter Hope’s foremost challenge as a captain is to earn qualification for West Indies in the tournament as his team is likely to play qualifiers scheduled to be held in Zimbabwe in June.

“To lead a team that is of such incredible significance not only to myself and my teammates but to our legion of fans the world over, is something one dreams of as a child,” Hope said in a CWI statement.

Hope has represented West Indies in 104 ODI games and vice-captained the side on a number of occasions. His exceptional individual performances earned him a place in the ICC ODI Team of the Year for 2022.

READ: Attack-minded England take control of first Test in New Zealand

“The result would be different if we didn’t make some mistakes,” Nicholas Pooran

KARACHI: West Indian captain, Nicholas Pooran had a media talk ahead of the third T20I, the captain said, some errors costed them the second T20I against Pakistan.

West Indian captain also admitted that he played a wrong shot in the penultimate, which costed him his wicket.

“I also got out after attempting a bad shot, if there had been no errors, the outcome of the game would have been different,” he said.

Pooran, also lauded Brandon King, for his brilliant knock of 67 in the last night contest against Pakistan.

“King performed brilliantly in the last match, he has shown his class,” he added.

The West Indian captain, also hailed the bowling attack of Pakistan team.

“Pakistan’s T20I team has a strong bowling attack,” he concluded.

Pooran, while asked about the possible changes in the playing-eleven for the third T20I, opted not to disclose a thing. He, however, said that whatever the team combination will be, our prime focus is to succeed.

READ: Bowlers help Pakistan win T20I series 2-0 against West Indies

“Confident to enter the field with new players,” WI captain

KARACHI: Nicholas Pooran, the West Indies T20I captain, spoke to the media via video conference ahead of tomorrow’s first T20I.

Pooran, who will be captaining the side for T20Is, is confident to perform well with young players.

“Ready to enter the field with new players, we have the best players in the squad,” he said.

Caribbean skipper is also confident with the abilities of his players.

“Have full confidence in the abilities of our players, our players played brilliantly in the CPL and T10 League,” he added.

The captain also said that it is difficult to predict the outcomes in T20I format as any player can change the game single-handedly on a given day.

West Indian skipper was full of praises for Pakistani openers, Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan. The captain also lauded Pakistan’s pacer, Shaheen Shah Afridi’s recent performance.

“Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan are playing well, both the players have performed brilliantly this year. Pakistan also has the services of Shaheen, who is a brilliant performer” he said.

READ: “Doesn’t matter if the key players don’t come,” Babar Azam