Focus on T20s as Russell bids adieu as T20 World Cup preparation comes into focus ahead of the tournament in Feb.
Russell takes his leave as T20 World Cup preparation comes into focus.
The first two games of this series are also a conclusion: Andre Russell, another member of the dominant West Indies T20 era, has announced his retirement from international cricket following the Jamaica leg of matches. This series also signifies the start of something new, the build-up to the World Cup in India and Sri Lanka next year.
Russell played a key role in the West Indies’ victories in the 2012 and 2016 T20 World Cups, taking nine wickets and making crucial runs against India in the latter competition. Russell struggled to establish himself in T20Is, averaging 11.52 with the bat (strike-rate 122.01) and 48.90 with the ball across 33 games until the end of 2015. Since then, in 49 matches, he has averaged 28.63 with a strike-rate of 177.11 and claimed 50 wickets at 26.56.
However, he has chosen to retire on his home pitch at Sabina Park, where he will be greeted like a hero over the coming days, rather than competing for a third World Cup championship.
Although they are also without Nicholas Pooran, who recently terminated his international career, Russell will be a part of a West Indies batting order that appears more fearsome on paper than the Test one that just collapsed for 27. They have only triumphed twice in their last 16 Twenty20 Internationals, including 3-0 sweeps of England and Bangladesh.
Although Australia has only played nine Twenty20 matches since the last World Cup (one of those matches against England was cancelled), this series marks the start of a 16-match run that will culminate in the next tournament. Although Travis Head, Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, and Mitchell Starc—all of whom are expected to play in the World Cup—are rested, this isn’t a full-strength group, but it does have many of the important T20 players, and skipper Mitchell Marsh has a great chance to unite the team.