West Indies’ top-order batsman Lendl Simmons on Tuesday announced his retirement from all forms of international cricket with immediate effect.
Simmons’ announcement comes less than 24 hours after fellow Windies international Denesh Ramdin also called time on his international career.
The 37-year-old finished his career with a total of 3,763 runs for West Indies from 144 matches over all three formats. Overall, Simmons played a total of five Tests, 68 ODIs and as many T20Is.
Simmons is best known for his exploits in ODI cricket having made two centuries and 16 half-centuries for the Caribbean side.
Simmons’ highest ODI score of 122 came against Bangladesh in Mirpur in 2011, but in recent times the 37-year-old has exclusively been seen at T20I level for West Indies. Simmons helped the West Indies claim the 2016 T20 World Cup in India with his superb unbeaten half-century against the hosts in the semifinal at the Wankhede Stadium one of the highlights of his career.
Meanwhile, Simmons has said that he will continue to play domestic T20 tournaments. Earlier, he had also won two IPL titles with the Mumbai Indians last decade.
Announcing the development, his sports agency 124notout wote on Instagram: “Thank you king, but you are not out. We have seen many talented cricketers in our lifetime, but not many as naturally gifted with the bat as you, Lendl Simmons @simmo54. No practice required. You simply walk on the field and it is a party. On Friday last, you announced your retirement from international cricket via an official letter to the West Indies cricket board. As your agency, we take this opportunity to salute you king.”
“You are arguably the most underestimated international cricketer in the West Indies. To date, you hold the record for the most runs in CPL (Caribbean Premier League . If anything, you are more talented today than the day you played your first match for the West Indies. For that reason, we will accept your retirement announcement as a resignation and we will turn this into a “refirement”. Together we are about to embark on your second act. Ladies and gentlemen, Lendl Simmons is a free agent, and we are ready to do business with the franchise world. Let’s go@124NotOut,” his agency added.