Brian Lara, a former West Indies cricketer, has raised concern over the West Indies Cricket Board’s inability to motivate players to stay committed to international cricket. He compared this with the efforts of boards in countries such as England, Australia, and India to provide more support and financial security to its players.
Lara cited the recent case of Nicholas Pooran, who surprised the cricketing world by announcing his retirement from international cricket at the age of 29. Pooran, who had spectacular performances for the Lucknow Super Giants in the Indian Premier League (IPL), stated that leaving the international scene was a difficult decision.
“There are a lot of guys who are considering what to do with their careers. You have your aggressive players, such as Pooran, who retired at 29. And, really, it’s quite obvious why they did.
Brian Lara mentioned on the ‘Stick to Cricket’ podcast that there are five or six leagues across the world where players can make a lot of money.
“I have no issue with that. The truth is that, unlike boards in England, Australia, and even India, I do not believe the West Indies Cricket Board or administration has done anything significant to retain players committed to West Indies cricket. So, inevitably, our players will look elsewhere. And when you see players like Kane Williamson or even South Africans making similar decisions, you realise that they are only trying to provide for their families,” he said.
With more than eight months remaining before the 2026 T20 World Cup kicks off in India and Sri Lanka, Pooran’s retirement comes as a significant setback for the West Indies. A key figure in the Caribbean lineup, Pooran represented his country in 106 T20 Internationals and 61 One Day Internationals, scoring over 4,258 runs across both formats.
In T20Is, he scored 2,275 runs at an average of 26.14 with a strike rate of 136.39. In ODIs, he compiled 1,983 runs at an impressive average of 39.66 and a strike rate of 99.15, which included three centuries and 11 half-centuries.
Most recently, Pooran captained MI New York in Major League Cricket (MLC) 2025 and led the franchise to their second title.
India
