When he used to run with the ball up to the bowling crease, Shannon Gabriel was a sight to watch. The right-arm fast bowler for the West Indies has announced his retirement from international cricket, ending a career that began at Lord’s against England more than a decade ago. He ended up with four wickets in the game, but the team faced a five-wicket victory.
In his 59 red-ball games, the 36-year-old has collected 166 wickets for the Caribbean side, at an average of 32.21 and a strike rate of nearly ten overs, celebrating six five-wicket hauls, with a best bowling figures of 8/62 in an innings.
The white-ball career for Shannon Gabriel started a bit late in 2016 when he made his 50-over debut against Australia at the Kensington Oval. But it didn’t last more than 25 games, where he picked up 33 wickets at an average of 34.36 and a strike rate of 34.7 with a best of 3/17, as his last game of the format came during the 2019 World Cup against Sri Lanka.
Shannon Gabriel to continue playing for Trinidad and Tobago
In an emotional post on social media, Shannon Gabriel looked back at the past 12 years, where he has dedicated himself to playing for the West Indies at the highest level, which has been a joyous occasion for him.
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“During the past 12 years, I have dedicated myself to playing international cricket for the West Indies.” The 36-year-old shared in an Instagram post on Wednesday (August 28). “Playing this beloved game at the highest level has brought me immense joy, but as the saying goes, all good things must come to an end. Today, I am announcing my retirement from International cricket.”
He expressed his gratitude to God for the opportunities that he has received from a young age, besides thanking the family and all of his coaches, administrators, and staff members, along with the teammates who have been with him for a long time.
“Firstly, I would like to express my gratitude to God for the numerous blessings and opportunities my family and I have received during my time playing for the West Indies. Secondly, I want to extend my heartfelt thanks to Cricket West Indies administrators, coaches, and staff members.” The veteran continued.
“Words cannot adequately convey the appreciation I have for your hard work and support over the years. Last but not least, I am grateful to my teammates and all those who have stood by me and supported me along the way. You have made my journey to the top truly special.” Shannon Gabriel shaded light.
He hasn’t played for the West Indies in any format since featuring in last year’s India series at home, where he picked a couple of wickets in a drawn game. Shannon Gabriel’s very recent game came in April this year during the country’s championship where he picked up a wicket in the first innings but didn’t turn up with the ball in the second innings.
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“Moving forward, my plan is to continue representing my country (Trinidad and Tobago), club, and franchise teams around the world with the same love and passion I have shown throughout my career.” Shannon Gabriel penned down.
One of his sheer abilities was to generate great pace, and it took a while for him to be a regular member of the Test side. He carries the fourth-best red-ball figure (13/121) for a Caribbean bowler, while one of the dark moments of his career was when he went for a huge slog only to get bowled on the last ball of the penultimate over to get bowled.