Emotions galore as four West Indies champions depart from internationals

Anisa Mohammed, Shakera Selman, Kycia Knight and Kyshona Knight have announced their decision to retire from international cricket. They have communicated the same to Cricket West Indies and are expected to feature in franchise cricket.

Notably, all four cricketers were part of the 2016 T20 World Cup, in which, the Stafanie Taylor-led side defeated Australia in the finals at Eden Gardens to win the coveted trophy. Other than that, they were extremely successful in the international circuit, as Anisa represented the national team for over 20 years and has played 258 white-ball matches, and picked up 305 wickets in the process. In 2016, she became the first-ever player – male or female – to take 100 wickets in the T20I format.

Announcing her retirement, the 35-year-old mentioned that it was a privilege for her to play for West Indies for over 20 years and to play multiple World Cups.

“The last 20 years have been truly amazing. I have enjoyed every single minute of it. The highs and the lows. I believe the time has come for me to step away from the game and allow the young players to live their dreams as I have lived mine,” Anisha was quoted as saying by ICC.

“I was privileged enough to step onto the field wearing my maroon 258 times in my career. I have represented West Indies in five (5) ODI World Cups and seven (7) T20 World Cups. To my fellow teammates, thank you for all the love and respect shown to me during my time with you. You'll have made my journey a memorable experience,” she added.

My aim was always to inspire and assist others in their dreams: Selman

Selman, who represented West Indies in 196 games in white-ball cricket, expressed her gratitude. She thanked her teammates, CWI, medical unit among others and mentioned that the goal was always to inspire and assist others in their dreams.

“This marks my final bow after 18 incredible years. I am proud of playing with and against legends, and lucky to have dismissed a few. My aim was always to inspire and assist others in their dreams. I owe immense gratitude to God, my supportive family and friends, and to CWI, my teammates, and the medical and management teams for their unwavering guidance,” Selman said.

Twins Kycia Knight and Kyshona Knight made their West Indies debut in 2011 and 2013 respectively. Kycia featured in 157 matches for the national team while Kyshona played 106. After their retirement announcement, both thanked the authorities, teammates and supporters for their continuous support.