Shannon Gabriel Bids Farewell

West Indies fast bowler Shannon Gabriel has announced his retirement from international cricket, concluding a career that began in 2012. The 36-year-old pacer featured in 59 Tests, 25 ODIs, and two T20Is, amassing a total of 202 wickets.

Gabriel shared his retirement news on Instagram, reflecting on his 12-year journey in international cricket. He expressed that playing the game at the highest level had been a source of immense joy, but acknowledged that, as the saying goes, all good things must come to an end. He then revealed that he was retiring from international cricket.

Gabriel expressed deep gratitude to God for the blessings and opportunities he and his family received during his career with the West Indies. He also extended his heartfelt thanks to the administrators, coaches, and staff members at Cricket West Indies, emphasising that their hard work and support were invaluable. Additionally, Gabriel expressed appreciation for his teammates and everyone who supported him throughout his career, stating that their contributions made his journey to the top truly special.

Looking ahead, Gabriel mentioned that he plans to continue playing for Trinidad and Tobago, as well as for club and franchise teams around the world, with the same passion and dedication that he displayed throughout his international career.

Gabriel's strength and height made him particularly effective in Test cricket, where he excelled, even on unresponsive pitches. He holds the fourth-best match figures for a West Indian bowler—13 for 121—achieved at home against Sri Lanka in June 2018. His ability to generate pace and bounce drew comparisons to West Indies fast bowling legends like Patrick Patterson and Ian Bishop, as noted by Courtney Walsh. Though it took time for Gabriel to harness his talents consistently, by 2017, he had become a regular in the team and contributed to significant victories, such as the win against England at Headingley.

One of the memorable moments of Gabriel's career came not with the ball but with the bat. In a Test match against Pakistan in Dominica, with West Indies nine wickets down and only seven balls remaining to draw the game and the series, Gabriel went for a big shot and was bowled. This incident occurred just 10 days after he had delivered a Player-of-the-Match performance to secure a comeback victory for the West Indies.

Gabriel faced controversy in 2019 when he was banned for four ODIs after making a remark to Joe Root that was perceived as homophobic. Gabriel accepted the penalty and apologised for his behaviour, though he later remarked that the incident had been blown out of proportion.

Although Gabriel last played for the West Indies in July 2023, he has remained active in domestic cricket, representing Trinidad and Tobago. He also participated in the Abu Dhabi T10 tournament last year.