West Indies` burly all-rounder Andre Russell is set to step away from international cricket. He has been included in the side`s 16-member squad for the T20I series against Australia, which is scheduled to start from July 20.
Speaking about his retirement, Russell said that he never imagined representing his country at the highest level.
“Words cannot explain what it meant. To represent the West Indies has been one of the proudest achievements in my life. 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 realise what you can achieve,” Russell told ICC.
“This inspired me to become better because I wanted to leave a mark in the maroon colours and become an inspiration to others,” added the 37-year-old.
Earlier, he had missed the cut in the West Indies squad against England due to an injury, according to the ICC website.
The veteran also said that he wants to walk away from the sport, as one of the inspirations for the next generations of cricketers stepping up from the country.
“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,” Russell concluded.
Russell`s retirement has come seven months before the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup, which is set to be hosted by India and Sri Lanka in February 2026. He is the West Indies` second bigwig who has announced retirement in recent times. Earlier, their premier batsman Nicholas Pooran drew curtains on his international career at the age of 29.
Since 2019, he has been an integral part of the West Indies` T20I team. Having played 84 shortest format matches for the country, the right-hander has amassed 1078 runs with an average of 22.00 and a strike rate of 163.08. He also has three half-centuries with a top score of 71 runs.
(With ANI Inputs)
