ST JOHN’S, Antigua – The West Indies will be without one of its biggest weapons for next month’s Cricket World Cup in Australia.
That’s because the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) today announced that off spinner Sunil Narine has withdrawn from the West Indies squad for the Cricket World Cup 2015.
Narine had undergone intense remedial work on his bowling action and preliminary tests have shown him bowling all his deliveries under the 15 degrees flexion allowance. But he requires more time to be able to confidently bowl for a sustained period in international cricket with his new action.
“Playing for Red Force and winning the NAGICO Super50 has been a big boost, but going in to the World Cup is a little too much too soon and, after consulting the WICB, for both West Indies and my sake we have decided to delay my return to international cricket until I am 100% confident in all that I do,” Narine said.
“Whilst I am very happy with the progress made to date with my action, and I express my thanks to the coaches working with me in Trinidad and Dr Daryl Foster in Perth, Australia, I am withdrawing from the World Cup,” Narine explained.
Narine has taken a positive approach to his remedial work, remains in an optimistic frame of mind and looks forward to returning to international cricket at the earliest opportunity.
“I would like to thank the WICB for their support and wish the West Indies team the very best for the World Cup campaign,” Narine said.
“The WICB supports Narine’s decision to withdraw from the CWC squad as to risk his exposure to the intensity of the Cricket World Cup would be both unfair to him and the West Indies squad. A replacement will be named shortly,” the board noted yesterday.
