West Indies T20I and ODI skipper Kieron Pollard announced a sudden retirement from international cricket, 15 years after making his debut in 2007.
He delivered this news on his Instagram page with a heartfelt post. Taking over the limited-overs leadership duties in 2019, Pollard captained West Indies in 61 matches in the two formats, winning 25 of those and losing 31.
Taking to his Instagram, Kieron Pollard wrote: “After careful deliberation, I’ve today decided to retire from international cricket. As is the case of 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’m proud to have represented West Indies cricket for over 15 years in both the T20I and ODI forms of the game.
“I can still vividly remember making my international debut in 2007 under the leadership of my childhood hero, Brian Lara. Wearing those maroon colours and playing alongside such greats has been a privilege that I never took lightly, giving my heart and soul in every facet of the game – whether bowling, batting or fielding.”
2706 runs and 55 wickets in 123 ODIs
1569 runs and 42 wickets in 101 T20IsKieron Pollard has announced his retirement from international cricket
#KieronPollard #T20I #Cricket #WI pic.twitter.com/L8k7SyZ8ZV
— Wisden India (@WisdenIndia) April 20, 2022
The Trinidad-born all-rounder played 123 ODIs, scoring 2706 runs at an average of 26.01 with three centuries and 13 fifties, in addition to taking 55 wickets; in 101 T20Is, he scored 1569 runs at a strike rate of 135.14.
Pollard was part of the West Indies side that won the 2012 T20 World Cup in Sri Lanka, defeating the hosts in the final. Last year, he became only the third batsman in international cricket – after Herschelle Gibbs and Yuvraj Singh – to smack six sixes in an over, when he slammed Sri Lankan spinner Akila Dananjaya for six sixes in an over.
Kieron Pollard, 34, is the only West Indies cricketer to have played 100 T20Is. He hit the second-most number of sixes -234- for West Indies in international cricket, after Chris Gayle’s tally of 552.
He’s currently with Mumbai Indians for IPL 2022.
Netizens couldn’t believe at first that Pollard, just 6 six months before the T20 World Cup in Australia, has taken retirement from international cricket.
This news left the fans in shock. And soon wishes started to pour down for a highly entertaining cricketing career:
Kieron Pollard has announced his retirement from international cricket.
— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) April 20, 2022
Polly , you will always be entertainer in the T20s … Thanks for entertaining us with your innings of 6 sixes in 6 balls.
For me, this is the best entertaining innings for Kieron Pollard. pic.twitter.com/bmjfz96fQe
— Johns. (@CricCrazyJ0hns) April 20, 2022
Young Kieron Pollard aka Polly hits 1st ball of his T20 career for a SIX
#Pollard #KieronPollard #CricketTwitter pic.twitter.com/z1KU45YVWQ
— Karamdeep Singh (@oyeekd) April 20, 2022
Arrival of gaint in T20 cricket.End of an Era – Darren Sammy, Chris Gayle, Dwayne Bravo and Kieron Pollard, all of them have retired. pic.twitter.com/5HV2w7g734
— CricketMAN2 (@ImTanujSingh) April 20, 2022
Kieron Pollard in his final international series in the Caribbean Islands
Good way to sign off
— Rohit Sankar (@imRohit_SN) April 20, 2022
Shocking
•••••••— ROHIT Era
FAREWELL LEGEND! We’ll miss those big Polly moments at the international level. 
(@TheRohitEra) Young Kieron Pollard aka Polly hits 1st ball of his T20 career for a SIX
#Pollard #KieronPollard #CricketTwitter pic.twitter.com/z1KU45YVWQ
— Karamdeep Singh (@oyeekd) April 20, 2022
#KieronPollard announces his retirement from Intn’l Cricket.
One of the giants in T20I Cricket. Have a good Retirement Polly.#IPL2022 #IPL #CricketTwitter pic.twitter.com/HM3f8IK1bv— RCBIANS OFFICIAL (@RcbianOfficial) April 20, 2022
Kieron Pollard Retires From International Cricket
Hoping You Will Continue To Play Franchise Cricket For 5-6 Years And Give Us More Memories To Cherish.
King
— Saksham Garg (@sakshamgarg100) April 20, 2022
Kieron Pollard has announced his retirement from international cricket.
Thank you for your wonderful memories polly— TEJASH
(@LoyleRohitFan45) Kieron pollard has taken retirement from international cricket next season he will play from @IsbUnited inshallah along with Jos buttler Ben Stokes
— Mustafa (@MustafaSays_) April 20, 2022
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