West Indies fast bowler Shannon Gabriel has announced his retirement from international cricket at the age of 36. The cricketer shared the news on his Instagram page, bringing an end to a 12-year career that saw him play 86 international matches for the West Indies.
Reflecting on his journey, Gabriel wrote, “Over the past 12 years, I have devoted myself to playing international cricket for the West Indies.” Gabriel was particularly impactful in Test cricket, where he made 59 of his 86 international appearances. He debuted in a Test at Lord’s in 2012 and soon became a key figure in the West Indies pace attack. Throughout his Test career, Gabriel took 166 wickets at an average of 32.21, including six five-wicket hauls and memorable match figures of 13/121 against Sri Lanka in June 2018.
Last year, Gabriel earned a surprise recall to the West Indies ODI squad, having last played in the format during the 2019 World Cup. However, he did not feature in the playing XI, concluding his ODI career with 33 wickets from 25 matches at an average of 34.36 and best figures of 3/17. His economy rate stood at 5.92. Gabriel also played in two T20Is, taking three wickets.
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In his retirement post, Gabriel expressed his gratitude to God, his family, and the Cricket West Indies administrators for their support. He also extended his thanks to his teammates and everyone who supported him throughout his career. Although retiring from international cricket, Gabriel plans to continue playing for Trinidad and Tobago, as well as participating in club and franchise cricket around the world.