Marlon Samuels retires from cricket

Former West Indies batsman Marlon Samuels.
Associated Press / Andres Leighton, file

Controversial West Indies batsman Marlon Samuels has announced his retirement from all forms of cricket, according to regional sports network SportsMax.

Samuels, 39, who was named Player of the Match in the finals of the 2012 and 2016 ICC World Twenty20 finals, reportedly informed Cricket West Indies (CWI) of his decision to end his playing career.

Samuels made his Test debut for the West Indies in December 2000 against Australia and went on to play 71 Tests in which he scored 3917 runs at an average of 32,64, having scored seven centuries and 54 half centuries.

He played his last Test for the West Indies in 2016.

The Jamaican, also played 207 One-Day-Internationals in which he amassed 5606 runs, averaging 32.97 which included 10 centuries and 30 half centuries.

He played his last ODI in December 2018 against Bangladesh. He also scored 10 fifties in T20 Internationals, which scoring 1611 runs.

His 56-ball 78 against Sri Lanka and his one for 15 bowling helped the West Indies win the 2012 ICC T20 World Cup final. Four years later, he scored an unbeaten 85 off just 66 balls to help West Indies defeat England to win the 2016 Twenty20 World Cup for a second time.

Samuels last represented the West Indies in Twenty20 Internationals in August 2018 against Bangladesh.

His career was also marred by controversy as the ICC banned him for two years after he was found guilty of receiving money from bookies and bringing the game into disrepute. In 2015 he was banned from bowling for a year due to a suspect bowling action.