Roston Chase Makes T20I History with Retirement

LAUDERHILL: During the decisive third T20I between West Indies and Pakistan in Lauderhill on Sunday, Roston Chase etched his name in cricket annals by becoming the first batter to retire out in a men’s T20 International game between two Full Member nations.

This rare occurrence transpired during the West Indies’ pursuit of a 190-run target. Alick Athanaze initiated the innings strongly, scoring 60 runs off 40 deliveries; however, his dismissal triggered a slowdown, positioning the hosts at 110/3 after 13 overs.

Needing 80 runs from 42 balls, the West Indies required a significant boost in scoring rate. Sherfane Rutherford, batting at number four, attempted to accelerate the scoring, but Chase struggled, accumulating only 15 runs from 12 balls, including two boundaries.

Recognizing the urgent need for quicker scoring, the team made the strategic decision to retire Chase, leaving 41 runs required from the last 18 balls. Ultimately, the West Indies fell short, managing only 27 runs in the allotted time, which resulted in Pakistan winning the series 2-1.

This event marks only the 12th instance of a batter retiring out in a men’s T20I overall, but it is the first involving two ICC Full Member countries.

Earlier in the 2024 T20 World Cup, Namibia’s Nikolaas Davin retired out after scoring 18 runs from 16 balls in a rain-affected chase against England in Antigua. The other ten instances have all been in matches that included Associate teams.

Notably, this isn’t the first time Chase has been retired out in a T20 match. Earlier in the year, he was retired out in the ILT20 while playing for Abu Dhabi Knight Riders, having scored 20 runs off 13 balls against MI Emirates.