Sunil Narine said on Monday that he will not be going back on his decision to retire from international cricket and play the upcoming T20 World Cup.
With his recent showing with the bat and ball for Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024, many called for Narine to come out of retirement and play for West Indies again.
Narine had helped West Indies bag their first T20 World Cup title in 2012 — their first World Cup triumph across formats since 1979 — with nine wickets in the competition, thereafter he featured only in the 2014 T20 World Cup.
Narine last played for West Indies in a T20I in August 2019.
“I hope this message finds you all well and in good health.
I’m truly flattered and humbled that my performances recently have moved many people to publicly express their wish for me to come out of retirement and play in the upcoming T20 World Cup.
I have made peace with that decision and whilst I never wish to disappoint, that door is now closed and I will be supporting the guys who take the field in June for West Indies. Guys who have worked hard for the past few months and deserve to show our wonderful fans that they are capable of winning another title – I wish you all the best”
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Narine came into the spotlight during the now-defunct Champions League T20 in 2011 while playing for Trinidad. He became an instant hit as he could bowl a lot of variations, including skidders, knuckleballs, carrom balls etc.
The Trinidadian made his international debut for the Windies in 2011 during an ODI against India in Ahmedabad. Since then, he has featured in 65 ODIs and bagged 92 wickets. He has also represented the Caribbeans in six Tests and 51 T20Is, scalping 21 and 52 wickets, respectively.
Narine has been an integral part of KKR in the IPL since 2011 and also became a sought-after player in various T20 leagues across the globe.
Narine’s bowling has created a lot of controversy in the past, as he was suspended on a few instances for allegedly having an illegal bowling action. However, he managed to rework his action and continued to make near-similar impacts.
Narine’s batting has also transformed the spinner into an unlikely all-rounder across various T20 leagues as he has delivered quite often as a hard-hitting opener.
(With inputs from Agencies)
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