The 34-year-old Pollard announced on Wednesday that he has called time on a 15-year international career in order to “make room for those who will carry the game forward in West Indian colours”.

Five of Kieron Pollard's best performances in West Indies colours

Pollard was a West Indian trailblazer in white-ball cricket, becoming the first men's player to represent West Indies in over 100 T20I matches, and also pulling on the maroon shirt 123 times in ODIs.

The Trinidadian was a key member of the team that won the ICC T20 Cricket World Cup in 2012, and only missed West Indies’ triumph at the 2016 tournament due to injury.

Pollard was appointed captain of both the ODI and T20 teams in 2019, with series wins over Australia and England the highlights during his tenure.

In total Pollard scored 2706 runs and took 55 wickets in ODI cricket. And in T20Is he racked up 1569 runs at a strike rate of 135.14, while also picking up 42 wickets with his handy medium pace.

And in March 2021 Pollard became only the third player in the history of the men’s international game to hit six sixes in a single over, with his effort against Sri Lanka’s Akila Dananjaya helping him into elite company alongside Herschelle Gibbs and Yuvraj Singh. Jaskaran Malhotra of the USA joined the elite group in September last year.

But, after 222 West Indies appearances, Pollard has now decided to hang up his international spikes, announcing the news on his social media channels.

“After careful deliberation, I have today decided to retire from international cricket,” Pollard said. “It was a dream of mine to represent the West Indies team from the time I was a boy of 10 years and I am proud to have represented West Indies cricket for over 15 years in both the T20I and ODI forms of the game.

“Wearing those maroon colours and playing alongside such greats has been a privilege that I never took lightly, giving my heart and soul in every facet of the game – whether bowling, batting or fielding.

“As with many sports, there are highs and lows, but throughout it all I have always felt the unwavering support and love of the fans of West Indies cricket who understand the importance of this great sport to the people of the Caribbean.

“As I move on and make room for those who will carry the game forward in West Indian colours, know that I will always be supporting in whatever way I can.

“It is with profound gratitude for living my dream that I now raise my bat in salute to all that is West Indies cricket.”

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