Andre Russell, the West Indies all-rounder, is retiring from international cricket. His final games will be the first two of the West Indies’ five-match T20I series against Australia in their home country. Russell, who is 37, is on the squad for the five-match series. The first two matches will be held at Sabina Park in Jamaica, his home field, and will serve as his goodbye to international cricket. Windies Cricket shared the news of his retirement with a tribute post.
Russell said in a statement: It’s hard to put into words what representing the West Indies has meant to me. It’s one of the things I’m most proud of. When I was a kid, I didn’t think I’d get to this level. But the more I played and loved the sport, the more I realized what I could do. This made me want to get better because I wanted to make my mark while wearing the maroon colors and be an inspiration to others.
“I enjoy playing for the West Indies, and I love playing at home in front of my family and friends. It’s a place where I can show what I can do and play very well. I want to end my international career strong and be a good example for the next group of cricketers from the Caribbean.”
Since 2019, Russell has only played T20Is for his country. He played in 84 T20Is for the West Indies, scoring 1,078 runs with an average of 22.00 and a strike rate of 163.08, including three half-centuries and a high score of 71. He also took 61 wickets with an average of 30.59, and his best figures were 3/19.
His retirement comes about seven months before the next ICC T20 World Cup, which India and Sri Lanka will host in February 2026. Russell is the second well-known West Indies player to retire recently, following Nicholas Pooran, who retired from international cricket at age 29.
Russell has only played one Test for the West Indies. He has also played 56 ODIs, scoring 1,034 runs with an average of 27.21 and a strike rate of over 130, with four half-centuries and a high score of 92*. In ODIs, he has 70 wickets with an average of 31.84, and his best bowling figures are 4/35.
The 37-year-old was on the West Indies teams that won the ICC T20 World Cups in 2012 and 2016.
Russell has been a big part of many T20 leagues, scoring 9,316 runs in 561 matches with an average of 26.39 and a strike rate of over 168. His record includes two centuries and 33 fifties, with a best score of 121*. As a bowler, he has taken 485 wickets with an average of 25.85, and his best figures are 5/15.
He recently played for the Los Angeles Knight Riders (LAKR) in the Major Cricket League (MLC) in the USA. He scored 126 runs in nine matches and eight innings with an average of 25.20, and his high score was 65*, his only half-century. He also took 10 wickets with an average of 32.90, and his best figures were 3/30. His team did not make the playoffs and finished last in the standings.