West Indies limited over captain Kieron Pollard has decided to retire from international cricket with immediate effect.
The player announced his decision to hang up his boots on Wednesday. Pollard shared a social media post announcing his intentions, in which he wrote, “after careful deliberation, I’ve today decided to retire from international cricket.”
He then described how playing for the Caribbean nation was his childhood dream. And how representing this team for the past 15 years was a proud moment for him.
Many pundits from around the world are still trying to figure out the reasons behind this retirement. The player is having a forgetful IPL this season. Just like his team Mumbai Indians, the player is yet to make a mark this season as well.
It can be one of the reasons behind the decision. The other reason can be the T20 World Cup which will be played later this year.
Pollard is already 35 years old and under the hammer recently. So perhaps the thinking behind this decision is to make way for a new captain who can take center stage for next year’s ODI world cup.
Pollard’s contribution to West Indies cricket
For all we know, Pollard was a sensational player. He debuted in the 2007 ODI world cup and has played 123 ODIs. He scored only 2706 runs in them and picked up 55 wickets. His significant contribution, however, came in the T20Is. He played 101 matches in this format and scored around 1569 runs at a strike rate of 135.
Pollard had his fair share of controversies as well. He was a part of the bunch of players in 2014 who decided not to complete a series against India after payment disputes. This saw him getting thrown out of the team alongside Sammy and Bravo.
However, the big man returned in 2016 and was made the captain of Windies in 2019. Under his able captaincy, West Indies defeated India and, recently, England in the T20I series.
He will be forever seen as a player who revolutionized T20 cricket. His legacy in the shortest format of the game will be remembered for decades to come.
