“Chasing 190-plus in that semi-final in India, with the crowd supporting India only, that was already a bit of pressure,
But the wicket was a very good wicket, so the confidence that we had in the changing room and the batters that were left to come, it gave me the freedom and the confidence to go out and play the role that I did,” Russell said of the incident.
Andre Russell, the West Indies’ power-hitting all-rounder, will end his international career after the second match of the upcoming T20I series against Australia. Russell has played 141 games for the West Indies, scoring over 2000 runs across all formats and taking 132 wickets, establishing himself as one of the most consistent contributors to the team throughout the years.
Russell has also won a few T20 World Cups with the West Indies. When asked about his favourite moment in his international career, the 37-year-old chose his 43* from 20 balls in the semi-final of the 2016 T20 World Cup against India, as the Caribbeans defeated the power-packed hosts in front of a packed crowd at Mumbai’s iconic Wankhede Stadium.
“Definitely [my best moment was] the 2016 World Cup, that semi-final game against India where I brought the team home, me and Lendl Simmons, and obviously the start that we got from the other batters,” he told Cricket West Indies during a television interview.
He reflected that winning the 2012 and 2016 editions of the T20 World Cup were the highlights of his career while representing the West Indies. He feels that nothing can match the joy of winning a World Cup, and the happy times that follow post the feeling of being a world champion sinks in.
“Obviously, two World Cups, it’s just a different emotion. You sleep, you wake up [on the morning after the final], and you realise you’ve only been sleeping for two hours, but you feel well-rested because you just want to see what’s going on, on the internet, you want to see all of those memories and all of those good comments,” he added.
I think I’ve done well enough: Andre Russell
When West Indies take on Australia in the second T20I, the star cricketer will retire from the international arena at Sabina Park Oval in Kingston, Jamaica — the very venue that laid his foundation as a professional cricketer. Being emotional after receiving the love from his fans on social media, Russell is mature enough to hold himself back and understand that he has already made the decision, after taking a few things into consideration.
“By just seeing the [social media] posts and seeing stuff going around on the internet, I get a bit emotional, to be honest, but, decision already made, and I think I’ve done well enough to actually say, yes, that’s it for me towards international cricket,” the star cricketer reflected.
The series will begin on Monday, July 21 at Jamaica, and then the second game will be played at the
India
