India and veteran Bengal batter Manoj Tiwary has announced his retirement from all forms of cricket. Tiwary represented India in 12 ODIs and three T20Is, with his best knock in international cricket being an unbeaten 104 against West Indies in a 50-over game in Chennai in 2011.
Apart from his sporadic appearances for India, Tiwary was a formidable figure in the Bengal batting line-up, making 9908 runs in 141 first-class matches, averaging 48.56, including hitting 29 centuries and 45 half-centuries, with an unbeaten 303 being his best score.
He also captained Bengal to reach the 2022-23 Ranji Trophy final, where the side finished as runners-up to Saurashtra. Tiwary also amassed 5581 runs from 169 List A games and 3436 runs from 183 T20 games. Tiwary is currently the Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Sports in the West Bengal government.
“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 were challenged by different forms of difficulties. Will ever be grateful to this game and to the GOD, who has always been by my side throughout,” said Tiwary in a note on his Instagram account on Thursday.
Tiwary came into the national reckoning after making 796 runs at an average of 99.50 in the 2006-07 Ranji Trophy and was included in India’s squad for the tour of Bangladesh, where a shoulder injury sustained during practice denied him an international debut.
His international debut finally came in 2008 during the Commonwealth Bank Series in Australia, where a jet-lagged Tiwary faced a searing Brett Lee and made only two runs. He then played two ODIs in West Indies and England, before making his maiden ODI century against the Caribbean side in Chennai in 2011 -– 104 off 126 balls, following which he retired hurt due to cramps.
Despite that hundred, Tiwary was surprisingly benched for months before getting a chance again in the ODIs in Sri Lanka in 2012 and was named in the Men’s T20 World Cup squad. Tiwary was then back in India’s squad for an ODI tour of Bangladesh in 2014 and last played international cricket as a member of the second-string side against Zimbabwe in 2015, scoring 34 runs in three ODIs.
“Taking this opportunity to convey my sincere gratitude to the people who all have played a part in my cricketing journey. Thank you to all my coaches starting from my childhood till last year who all have played a part in my cricketing achievements. 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 u Sir and wish u a speedy recovery, as your health is not keeping well. Thank you to my Dad and Mom, they both never had put pressure on me to focus on studies rather they encouraged me to continue in cricket,” he added.
Tiwary was part of the Kolkata Knight Riders squad that won the IPL 2012 trophy under Gautam Gambhir’s captaincy, hitting the winning runs in the final against Chennai Super Kings.
Apart from Kolkata, he also played for Delhi Capitals, Punjab Kings and now-defunct Rising Pune Supergiants. Overall, he played 98 IPL matches, scoring 1695 runs at a strike rate of 116.98, including hitting seven half-centuries.
“Big thank you to my wife, @roy_susmita7 who has always been on my side from the time she has come into my life. Without her constant support, I would have not made it to the point where I’m today in life.”
“And to all my teammates, past and present and also to the cricket association of Bengal, and all the members of the associations who all have played a role in my journey. And how can I not mention to the cricketing admirers who all have wished me throughout my ups and downs and made me a cricketing figure in today’s world.”
“A big thank u from the bottom of my heart. That’s it. If I have missed anyone whom I have missed mentioning here then please do accept my apology. In search of purpose in life, THANK YOU CRICKET,” he concluded.
-IANS
