PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad – Former West Indies off-spinner Anisa Mohammed has pointed to her record landmark in Twenty20 Internationals and West Indies’ capture of the 2016 T20 World Cup, as two of the highest points in her outstanding career.
West Indies off-spinner Anisa Mohammed.The 35-year-old formally called time on her playing days last month, bringing the curtain down on a career which yielded 180 wickets in 141 One-Day Internationals and 125 wickets in 117 T20 Internationals.
She holds the honour of becoming the first bowler in the men’s or women’s game, to take 100 wickets in T20 Internationals.
“After I earned the 100 T20I wickets, I only knew it was for both men and women when I got back to the hotel,” the NewsDay quoted Mohammed as saying.
“I was shocked because at that time, players like Samuel Badree, Sunil Narine, Shahid Afridi and Lasith Malanga were still playing.
“Winning the World Cup two years before was also something extra special to me and the team. It meant a whole lot.”
Trinidadian Mohammed made her international debut at age 15 during the Women’s Cricket World Cup Qualifiers in Holland in 2003, going on to become one of the finest off-spinners in the game.
She was part of the West Indies side that defeated Australia in the final of the 2016 T20 World Cup, producing a top spell to limit the Aussies.
Mohammed said she was pleased with her career, noting it had transformed her life overall.
“I think I had a pretty successful career. There were also a lot of lows as well. I’m happy I was able to play for so many years and accomplish so much,” she said.
“But it could not have done that without the support of my family, friends, teammates, coaches and technical staff.
“It has definitely helped me to become a calmer person. Before cricket, I wasn’t very calm but the sport has helped me to become calmer, humble and appreciate where you come from. Sport helped keep me out of trouble.”
While serving as West Indies vice-captain, Mohammed announced a six-month break from the game back in 2022 but never returned. At the time, then director of cricket, Jimmy Adams, labelled her “a true stalwart of West Indies Women’s cricket.”
And recalling her lengthy career, she said being away from family proved her “biggest challenge.”
“I’m a family person and I spent a lot of time away from home,” said Mohammed.
“After having a bad day or just a long day of cricket with the same players, and sometimes you wanted the comfort of your family, to have that reassurance and love from them. Not having my family close was my biggest challenge.”
Mohammed was recently honoured by the Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board and the T&T Women’s Cricket Association.
