Russell rates 2016 T20 World Cup innings against India as his best moment

In the lead-up to his retirement from international cricket, Andre Russell has picked out his innings in the Mumbai semi-final of the 2016 T20 World Cup as the proudest moment from his 141 matches for West Indies.

When Russell walked in at No. 5 in a chase of 193 against tournament hosts India, West Indies needed 77 off 41 balls. Russell scored an unbeaten 43 off just 20 balls, smacking Virat Kohli over the midwicket boundary to seal victory with two balls to spare.

"Definitely [my best moment was] the 2016 World Cup, that semi-final game against India where I brought the team home, me and Lendl Simmons, and obviously the start that we got from the other batters," Russell said in a Cricket West Indies (CWI) interview.

"Chasing 190-plus in that semi-final in India, with the crowd supporting India only, that was already a bit of pressure, but the wicket was a very good wicket, so the confidence that we had in the changing room and the batters that were left to come, it gave me the freedom and the confidence to go out and play the role that I did."

West Indies went on to beat England in a thrilling final in Kolkata and lift the T20 World Cup for the second time in four years. Russell was part of both those triumphs.

"Obviously, two World Cups, it's just a different emotion," he said. "You sleep, you wake up [on the morning after the final], and you realise you've only been sleeping for two hours, but you feel well-rested because you just want to see what's going on on the internet, you want to see all of those memories and all of those good comments.

"So those are the two most important moments, playing for West Indies."

Russell will retire from international cricket after the first two T20Is against Australia on July 20 and 22, both to be played at Sabina Park in Kingston, Jamaica.

"It's a pretty good feeling," Russell said, on signing off at his home ground. "I think, [from the] first time I came to Sabina Park as a kid, and then to actually walk on the grass and feel the atmosphere and look in the stands and everything, and [to] now, I've achieved so much out of cricket for the last couple of years. I did my best in every chance I got, representing West Indies.

"I think it's the perfect ground and the perfect series - against a good team as well, Australia - to end my international career. By just seeing the [social media] posts and seeing stuff going around on the internet, I get a bit emotional, to be honest, but, you know, decision already made, and I think I've done well enough to actually say, yes, that's it for me towards international cricket."