Nairobi
Kenyan all-rounder Collins Obuya, celebrated for his role in Kenya’s remarkable ICC Men’s World Cup 2003 journey, has announced his retirement after a 23-year international career. The decision comes following Kenya’s 106-run loss to Uganda in the African Games third-place play-off, where Obuya, aged 42, bid farewell after being his team’s top scorer with 184 runs from five innings.
In a statement quoted by ICC, Obuya expressed gratitude to his teammates and family, acknowledging their support throughout his career. He emphasized his pride in his lengthy tenure but noted his intention to focus on coaching cricket in his homeland.
While Obuya predominantly excelled as a batsman in later years, his leg-spin was a crucial asset earlier in his career, notably highlighted by his 5/24 against Sri Lanka during the 2003 Cricket World Cup. This victory propelled Kenya to the Super Six stage and subsequently to the semi-finals, a historic feat for a non-Test playing nation.
His notable performance includes an unbeaten 98 against Australia in the 2011 World Cup, although it ended in defeat. Following Kenya’s disappointing display in that tournament, Obuya assumed captaincy until 2013, when he stepped down after Kenya’s failure to qualify for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2014.
