Manoj Tiwary announces retirement from cricket: 'Goodbye to the game'

Manoj Tiwary has announced his retirement from all formats of the game. The India cricketer played for the national team in 12 ODIs and three T20Is. He also played domestic cricket for 19 years. Now a West Bengal Sports Minister, he led the state side to the Ranji Trophy final in 2022-23 season. His last game was the Ranji Trophy final defeat to Saurashtra earlier this year, where he top scored in the second innings. “Goodbye to the game of cricket. This game has given me everything, I mean every single thing which I had never dreamt of, starting from the times when my life was challenged by different forms of difficulties. I will always be grateful to this game and to the GOD, who has always been by my side throughout,” Tiwary said in an Instagram post.

Thanking his former teammates, loved ones, and coach Manabendra Ghosh, Tiwary wrote: “Manabendra Ghosh, my father figure like coach has been the pillar in the cricketing journey. If he had not been there then I would have not reached anywhere in the cricketing circle. Thank you Sir and wish you a speedy recovery, as your health is not keeping well. Thank you to my Dad and Mom, they both never put pressure on me to focus on my studies rather they encouraged me to continue in cricket. Big thank you to my wife, @roy_susmita7 who has always been on my side from the time she came into my life.” Manoj Tiwary finishes just 92 runs short of 10,000 runs in first-class cricket, averaging 48.56 with 29 centuries and 45 fifties. He scored 5,581 runs from 169 List A games. In the 12 ODI matches he played for India, he hit a ton against the West Indies in Chennai in December 2011. He had made his debut in an ODI against Australia in 2008. However, he had to wait three years for the next game and barely got chances. After being dropped and injury absences, Tiwary was recalled for a solitary ODI against Bangladesh in 2014 and an away series versus Zimbabwe in July 2015 proved to be his swansong on the big stage. The Bengal-born player played for Delhi Daredevils (now Delhi Capitals), Kolkata Knight Riders, Kings XI Punjab (now Punjab Kings) and Rising Pune Supergiants in the Indian Premier League. He was part of KKR’s title winning side in 2012. Batting at No 7, he scored a three-ball nine runs to take KKR to victory against Chennai Super Kings (CSK) to chase down the target in the final.