West Indies all-rounder Andre Russell has officially announced his retirement from international cricket, putting an end to a decade-long celebrated career. The 36-year-old will don the maroon Indies jersey for one final time when West Indies host Australia in a T20I series later this month at his home ground, Sabina Park in Kingston, Jamaica.
Russell, who made his international debut back in 2010, will play his final two matches on July 20 and 22 on his own home soil and crowd. Known for his raw power, pace, and game-changing performances, Russell will leave a legacy that has inspired the present generation of Caribbean cricketers and will continue to inspire upcoming generations.
“Words cannot explain what it meant. To represent the West Indies has been one of the proudest achievements in my life,” Russell said. “When I was a kid, I did not expect to get to this level, but the more you start to play and get to love the sport, you realize what you can achieve. This inspired me to become better because I wanted to leave a mark in the maroon colours and become an inspiration to others.”
“I love playing for the West Indies and I love playing at home in front of my family and friends where I get to showcase my talent and produce more high-quality performances. I want to finish my international career on a high while being a role model for the next generation of cricketers coming out of the Caribbean.” He added.
Andre Russell Career
The now 37-year-old Russell has made 84 appearances in T20Is for the West Indies with 1078 runs and 61 wickets to his name. He was also part of the winning team in the 2012 and 2016 T20 World Cup editions. With 561 T20 appearances across the global franchise circuit, he has amassed 9316 runs at a strike-rate of 168.31 and has taken 485 wickets.
He recently played in Major League Cricket in the USA for Los Angeles Knight Riders and has scored 126 runs in a total of nine matches and eight innings. With an average of 25.20 he scored a half century and recorded his highest score of 65* Along with this, he also took 10 important wickets and achieved a best bowling figure of 3/30 for his team.
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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.
