Nicholas Pooran named captain immediately after shock international retirement

Just days after announcing his retirement from international cricket, former West Indies batsman Nicholas Pooran has been appointed as the captain of MI New York.

The left-handed batsman will be leading the New York-based outfit in the upcoming 2025 season of the Major League Cricket (MLC). Nicholas Pooran has been plying his trade for MI New York since the inaugural season of the MLC in 2023.

He starred with the bat in the first MLC season and helped MI New York clinch the title. In 8 games, he had scored 388 runs, including an unbeaten 137* in the final, and finished the tournament as the highest run-scorer.

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#NYC Fam, there’s a new commander in town - 𝐂𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐍𝐢𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐚𝐬 𝐏𝐨𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐧! 💙#OneFamily #MINewYork #MLC2025 pic.twitter.com/CgCE5RfbY1

— MI New York (@MINYCricket) June 10, 2025

However, neither MI New York nor Pooran managed to impress in the 2024 season. MI New York managed to win just 2 of their 7 league games but still qualified for the playoffs. However, they could not progress ahead of the playoffs as they were dumped out of the tournament with a defeat in the Eliminator.

On the other hand, Pooran had managed to score only 180 runs in 7 games. MI New York will be hoping for a better campaign in the upcoming season while Pooran will be looking to lead his team from the front in his first season as the captain.

Nicholas Pooran's shock retirement:

Earlier this month, Nicholas Pooran stunned the cricketing world by announcing his retirement from international cricket at the age of just 29. The decision came just days after he opted out of the West Indies' squad for the T20I series against England.

"After much thought and reflection, I've decided to announce my retirement from international cricket. This game we love has given and will continue to give so much - joy, purpose, unforgettable memories, and a chance to represent the people of the West Indies.

"Wearing that maroon, standing for the anthem, and giving everything I had each time I stepped on the field... it's hard to put into words what that truly means to me. To have led the team as captain is a privilege I will always hold close to my heart," Nicholas Pooran wrote on social media.

The wicketkeeper-batsman made his debut for the West Indies in 2016 and represented the team in 61 ODIs and 106 T20Is. He scored 1983 runs in the 50-over format and 2275 runs in T20Is. Pooran hit 3 centuries and 24 half-centuries in international cricket.

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