3rd August 2023, Mumbai: The 37 year old Indian cricketer and West Bengal Sports Minister Manoj Tiwari has announced his retirement from all formats of the game. Manoj Kumar Tiwary born 14 November 1985, is an Indian cricketer and politician. He is a right-handed batsman.
Tiwary represented Bengal in domestic cricket and played for Delhi Daredevils, Kolkata Knight Riders, Kings XI Punjab, and Rising Pune Supergiants in the Indian Premier League. He represented India in 12 ODIs and 3 T20Is. In 2021, he joined the All-India Trinamool Congress political party and was elected to the West Bengal Legislative Assembly later in the year.
He added “Goodbye to the game of cricket. This game has given me everything, I mean everything 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.
He also thanked former teammates, loved ones, and coach Manabendra Ghosh, “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 Susmitha who has always been on my side from the time she came into my life.”
Tiwary joined Mamata Banerjee’s All India Trinamool Congress party in February 2021. He was selected as a candidate for the Bengal Legislative Assembly election 2021. In the Third Banerjee ministry, he was appointed a minister of state for Affairs of Sports and Youth.
By-Priya Ayitireddy