Manoj Tiwary retires from all forms of cricket

Former India batter Manoj Tiwary has retired from all forms of cricket, ending a 19-year domestic career.

Tiwary played all his domestic cricket for Bengal and also won the IPL with Kolkata Knight Riders in 2012, when he hit the winning runs in the last over of the chase. He played 12 ODIs and three T20Is - between 2008 and 2015 - and was also part of the India squad for the 2012 T20 World Cup, but didn't get a game in the tournament.

Tiwary started and ended his first-class career at his home ground Eden Gardens, in 2004 and 2023 respectively. His last game was the Ranji Trophy final defeat to Saurashtra earlier this year, in which he top-scored for Bengal in the second innings. Tiwary was also the Bengal captain in the previous Ranji season.

"Goodbye to the game of cricket," Tiwary wrote in his retirement note on social media. "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. Will ever be grateful to this game and to GOD, who has always been in my side throughout. Taking this opportunity to convey my sincere gratitude to the people who all have played a part in my cricketing journey.

"Thank you to my 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 had not reached anywhere in cricketing circle. Thank u Sir and wish u a speedy recovery, as your health is not keeping well."

He finished his first-class career just 92 short of 10,000 runs, averaging 48.56 with 29 centuries and 45 half-centuries. He scored 5581 runs in 169 List A games at an average of 42.28. His 12-ODI career contained one hundred - against West Indies in Chennai in December 2011.

Tiwary earned his India debut in an ODI against Australia in 2008 and had to wait another three years for his next game before he got a few chances in 2011 and 2012. He was dropped again and also had to fight a number of injuries before he was recalled for one ODI in Bangladesh in 2014 and then played his last series in Zimbabwe in July 2015.

Tiwary was an aggressive batter and broke several Bengal records. He developed a more all-round game as he gained more experience and was considered unlucky by many to not get more games for India because of the competition for spots and the rise in standard of cricket at international level.

Tiwary also represented Rising Pune Supergiant, Delhi Capitals (then Delhi Daredevils) and Punjab Kings in the IPL. He played 183 T20s, scoring 3436 runs at a strike rate of 116.43.