Shannon Gabriel hangs up his boots in the international arena
West Indian quick Shannon Gabriel has announced his retirement from international cricket at the age of 36. The right-arm quick represented his country in all formats of the game but was at his best in Tests, plucking 166 wickets in 59 appearances, the last of which came in July 2023 against India.
Gabriel first burst onto the scene as an exciting young prospect in the early 2010s after his pace and height led to comparisons with Windies legends Ian Bishop and Patrick Patterson. His success for Trinidad and Tobago in the domestic circuit led to a call-up to the Test squad in 2012 for a tour of England and a subsequent debut at Lord's where he impressed with three wickets in the first innings albeit in a losing cause.
"During the past 12 years," Gabriel said on Instagram on Wednesday, "I have dedicated myself to playing international cricket for the West Indies. Playing this beloved game at the highest level has brought me immense joy, but as the saying goes, all good things must come to an end. Today, I am announcing my retirement from International cricket.
"Firstly, I would like to express my gratitude to God for the numerous blessings and the opportunities my family and I have received during my time playing for the West Indies. Secondly, I want to extend my heartfelt thanks to Cricket West Indies administrators, coaches, and staff members. Words cannot adequately convey the appreciation I have for your hard work and support over the years. Last but not least, I am grateful to my teammates and all those who have stood by me and supported me along the way. You have made my journey to the top truly special."
Battling past injuries, Gabriel cemented himself as a Test regular in the second half of the decade and had also won ODI and T20I debuts in the process. He ended up playing 25 ODIs and two T20Is, claiming 33 and three wickets respectively, and last donned the famous Windies maroon at the 2019 World Cup in England.
However, Gabriel's greatest hits unquestionably came in the all-whites, scalping 166 wickets at an average of 32.21. His 4/51 in the first innings in Leeds set up a famous victory over England in 2017, followed by staggering match figures of 13/121 against Sri Lanka at home in 2018 -- the effort remains the fourth-best by a West Indian in Test history and the best-ever in the Caribbean islands. His last fifer in the format was equally memorable in the first Test after the COVID shutdown in July 2020 in Southampton, where figures of 4/65 and 5/75 led the islanders to a statement-making four-wicket triumph.
Nevertheless, for all his accomplished spells, Gabriel's name would most famously go down in batting folklore for his batting exploits in the third Test against Pakistan in 2017. With the farewell series for Misbah-ul-Haq and Younis Khan level, the Windies were playing for a draw and found themselves nine down with seven balls remaining and Roston Chase unbeaten on 101. Gabriel had patiently blocked 21 balls and was facing what was most probably his last ball of the series against a threateningly in-form Yasir Shah when his inexplicably heave caught the inside edge and the ball rattled onto the stumps, prompting the commentator to exclaim, "Shannon Gabriel why did you do that?"
Gabriel ended his statement by confirming he would continue competing in the domestic and franchise circuit, stating, "moving forward, my plan is to continue representing my country [Trinidad and Tobago], club, and franchise teams around the world with the same love and passion I have shown throughout my career."
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