The West Indies Cricket Board has withdrawn Sunil Narine from the touring party for the coming series in India in wake of his being banned from bowling in the Champions League Twenty20 after being reported twice.
The WICB will focus on getting Narine the opportunity to have his action assessed and return to cricket.
The decision was made after board officials held discussions with Narine, the selectors and the touring team management. The WICB chairman ofscelectors Clive Lloyd said he was disappointed that their best bowler could suddenly be out of the tour. “I am quite disappointed about the procedure that surrounded the ‘calling’ of Sunil in the Champions League tournament,” he said. “These things have the potential to disrupt the team’s preparation for a critical series but we will have to overcome this hurdle.”
Lloyd, a former West Indies captain and ICC match referee, said the West Indies board would like some clarity from the authorities on what led to the situation. “I think there must be a better way of doing the right things,” he said. A replacement player would be named shortly.
Since his debut in 2011, Narine has emerged as one of the world’s leading bowlers. He is ranked second in the ICC Twenty20 international and one-day international bowlers’ lists.
