He was the top six hitter in the 2024 T20 World Cup.
In a shock to cricket fans, Nicholas Pooran has retired from international cricket at just 29 years old. The former West Indies T20 captain shared the news on Instagram, and it came as a big surprise. Pooran was still in great form and had recently done well for Lucknow Super Giants in IPL 2025, hitting 40 sixes and scoring 524 runs. He was also the top six hitter in the 2024 T20 World Cup.
With the 2026 T20 World Cup not far away, Pooran’s sudden exit is a big blow for West Indies.
In his career, Pooran played 106 T20I matches and scored 2275 runs, making him the highest run scorer for West Indies in that format. In One Day Internationals, he made 1983 runs in 61 matches, with an average of 39.66 and a strike rate of 99.15.
Now, let’s take a look at the three best knocks by Nicholas Pooran in international cricket.
Nicholas Pooran played his best ever international innings against Sri Lanka during the 2019 ODI World Cup at Chester le Street. Chasing a big target of 339, Pooran came in to bat at number five for West Indies and scored a brilliant 118 runs from 103 balls. He hit 11 boundaries and four sixes, batting at a strike rate of 114.56.
He was the top scorer for West Indies in that match and did everything he could, but the team still fell short by 23 runs. Even though West Indies lost, this knock remains Pooran’s best innings in international cricket and his highest score in white ball formats.
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In the 2024 T20 World Cup match against Afghanistan at Gros Islet, Nicholas Pooran walked in at number three after West Indies lost their first wicket at 22. Pooran scored a brilliant 98 from 53 balls against Afghanistan, hitting six fours and eight sixes. His strong knock helped West Indies post 218 for five in 20 overs.
He fell just short of his first ever T20I century, but this 98 remains his highest score in T20 internationals. In the end, West Indies bowled out Afghanistan for 114 and won the match by a massive margin of 104 runs.
In the third T20I against England at St George’s on December 16, 2023, Nicholas Pooran played a great innings. West Indies were batting first but had a bad start, losing their first wicket of Brandon King for just eight runs. Soon after, Kyle Mayers also got out, and the team was in trouble as they lost both the openers for just eight runs.
Pooran came in at number three and changed the game with his attacking batting. He scored 82 runs from just 45 balls, hitting six fours and six sixes, with a strike rate of 182.22. His innings helped West Indies reach a big total of 222 for six in their 20 overs.
At the time, it was his highest T20I score, which now stands as his second best. Although West Indies lost the match, with England chasing down the target with seven wickets in hand, it was still one of Pooran’s finest innings in T20 internationals.
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