Dwayne Bravo retirement sees the leading wicket-taker in T20 cricket history announce he will step away from the CPL after the current season. Bravo, who will turn 41 in October, made the announcement just hours before the Trinbago Knight Riders’ opening game of CPL 2024 against the St Kitts & Nevis Patriots in Basseterre.
In a post on Instagram, Bravo expressed his excitement about playing his final professional tournament in front of his Caribbean fans. “This season will be my last one, and I’m looking forward to ending it with TKR, where it all began for me,” he wrote.
Bravo’s Impressive CPL Record and Career Highlights
Currently, Bravo holds the record for the most wickets in CPL history, with 128 wickets in 103 matches, averaging 22.40 with an economy rate of 8.69. His retirement from CPL comes nearly three years after he concluded his T20I career following West Indies’ early exit from the 2021 T20 World Cup in the UAE. In 2023, Bravo also retired from the IPL, where he has since served as a bowling coach for Chennai Super Kings.
Bravo is the most decorated player in CPL history, having won five titles, including three with TKR. He led TKR to back-to-back titles in 2017 and 2018 and later captained the Patriots to their first title in 2021. In 2020, he was part of TKR’s title-winning squad and became the first player to reach 500 T20 wickets during an unbeaten CPL season.
Ahead of the 2021 CPL, Bravo moved to the Patriots for a new challenge and secured his first CPL title with a non-Trinidad franchise. This was a notable turnaround from 2020, when the Patriots finished last.
Pete Russell, CEO of CPL, praised Bravo’s contributions to the league. “Dwayne has been a crucial part of our tournament since 2013. His impact on the league is immense, and his enthusiasm has helped make CPL the biggest party in sport. We wish him all the best for the future.”
Bravo’s Legacy and Mentoring Role in T20 Leagues
In various T20 leagues, Bravo has used his experience to mentor young players, similar to MS Dhoni’s role with Chennai Super Kings.
Notably, he guided allrounder Dominic Drakes during CPL 2021, who went on to win Player of the Match in the final. Bravo has also supported USA fast bowler Ali Khan, whom he first spotted in the US Open T20 tournament.
Bravo’s captaincy and leadership have been highly praised. Coach Simon Helmot, who worked with Bravo at both Trinidad & Tobago Red Steel and Patriots, noted Bravo’s evolution from a quality player to a comprehensive leader.
As CPL 2024 will be Bravo’s last tournament on home soil, he will continue to play in other global franchise leagues. He is contracted with MI Emirates for the third season of ILT20 in the UAE and has also recently played for Texas Super Kings in Major League Cricket (MLC) in the USA.