Andre Russell set to retire from international cricket

Jamaica (Agencies): West Indies allrounder Andre Russell is set to announce his international retirement later on Wednesday.

Russell, 37, has been included in West Indies’ T20I squad to face Australia in a five-match series from Sunday, but ESPNcricinfo understands that the opening two games at Sabina Park in Jamaica, Russell’s home ground, will be his farewell to the international game.

Russell has been a T20I-only player since 2019 and currently has 84 caps. His retirement comes seven months before the next T20 World Cup, which will be staged in India and Sri Lanka in February 2026.

Russell is set to become the second high-profile West Indies player, after Nicholas Pooran, to quit international cricket in less than two months. Russell was a part of the West Indies squads when they won the T20 World Cup in 2012 and then in 2016, when he took the new ball and dismissed Alex Hales in the second over in Kolkata.

Teenager Jewel Andrew and Jediah Blades, 23, earned their maiden call-ups to the West Indies T20I squad. In CPL 2024, at 17 years and 266 days, Andrew had become the youngest West Indian and second youngest overall to score a fifty in a major T20 league. Andrew is currently part of Guyana Amazon Warriors in the ongoing Global Super League (GSL) in Guyana.

As for Blades, he has not played the CPL so far but had impressed with the new ball during the inaugural West Indies breakout league, a tournament that was held recently to identify emerging talent from the region. Shai Hope will continue to lead the side, which also includes Rovman Powell, who missed the GSL for Dubai Capitals.

“Our goals and strategic plans are aligned to winning the T20 World Cup in 2026,” coach Daren Sammy said in a statement. “We have continuity in the squad from the previous series and as a unit we will continue to fine tune our style and brand ahead of the World Cup.”

“Our previous two T20 series at home we were on the wrong end of the results but starting against Australia, we want to regain our form at home as we build momentum into next year’s World Cup with our exciting and dynamic group of players.”