'West Indies Board has done nothing to keep players loyal' - Brian Lara on Nicholas Pooran's retirement

Nicholas Pooran and Brian Lara. (Source:GettyImages)

Former West Indies cricketer Brian Lara has expressed concern over the West Indies Cricket Board’s inability to incentivise players to remain committed to international cricket. He contrasted this with the efforts of boards in countries like England, Australia, and India, which offer better support and financial stability to their players.

Lara pointed to the recent case of Nicholas Pooran, who shocked the cricketing world by announcing his retirement from international cricket at the age of just 29. Pooran, who delivered explosive performances for the Lucknow Super Giants in the Indian Premier League (IPL), admitted that stepping away from the international stage was a difficult decision.

"You have a lot of guys who are deciding on what to do with their careers. You have your aggressive players like Pooran, who retired at 29. And honestly, it's pretty clear why they did. There are five or six leagues around the world, and they're able to make a substantial amount of money playing in them," Lara said on 'Stick to Cricket' podcast.

"I have no problem with that. The truth is, I don't think the West Indies Cricket Board or the administration has done anything meaningful to keep players loyal to West Indies cricket, unlike what boards in countries like England, Australia, or even India have done. So naturally, our players are going to look elsewhere. And when you see players like Kane Williamson or even South Africans making similar choices, you understand that these guys are just trying to provide for their families," he added.

With more than eight months remaining before the 2026 T20 World Cup kicks off in India and Sri Lanka, Pooran’s retirement comes as a significant setback for the West Indies. A key figure in the Caribbean lineup, Pooran represented his country in 106 T20 Internationals and 61 One Day Internationals, scoring over 4,258 runs across both formats.

In T20Is, he scored 2,275 runs at an average of 26.14 with a strike rate of 136.39. In ODIs, he compiled 1,983 runs at an impressive average of 39.66 and a strike rate of 99.15, which included three centuries and 11 half-centuries.

Most recently, Pooran captained MI New York in Major League Cricket (MLC) 2025 and led the franchise to their second title.