Kenya’s World Cup legend Collins Obuya draws curtains on 23-year-old international career

The 42-year-old Obuya, who had made his international debut back in 2001 against the West Indies, called it a day after featuring in his side’s 106-run defeat against Uganda in the third-place play-off of the African Games. A prolific performer to the last, he was Kenya’s leading run-getter in the tournament, with 184 runs from five innings.

“I have decided to retire from the game after 23 years. It’s been a big honour playing for Kenya,” Obuya stated after the game as quoted by ICC.

“I want to thank everyone, my teammates and my family who have been there for me in good times and hard times. It has been a lovely career for me, to have been able to play that long. I am very proud of my career, but it’s time to concentrate on my coaching back home and do what good I can for cricket,” he added.

Though Obuya contributed mostly with the willow in the latter phases of his career, his leg-spin was a vital weapon in Kenya’s armoury when he was younger. This was best demonstrated in the 2003 Cricket World Cup when his 5/24 helped the African side defeat a much superior Sri Lanka squad. With wickets from Aravinda de Silva, Kumar Sangakkara, and Mahela Jayawardene, he helped Kenya win by 53 runs.

This win provided crucial points that enabled Kenya to advance to the tournament’s Super Six stage and, subsequently, the semi-finals, becoming the first non-Test playing nation to do so.

Obuya’s finest ODI innings was against Australia in the 2011 World Cup, when he scored an unbeaten 98 that unfortunately ended up in a losing cause. Following Kenya’s poor performance at the 2011 World Cup, Obuya took over as captain. He quit two years later, in 2013, as the side failed to qualify for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2014.

With 2044 ODI runs, Obuya is one of four Kenyan players to have scored more than 2000 runs in the format before losing ODI status. Furthermore, he has the most T20I runs (1794) of any Kenyan batter. He also claimed 60 international wickets. (ANI)