Sunil Narine’s blistering form in the ongoing IPL 2024 has reignited speculation about his potential return to international cricket for the T20 World Cup, co-hosted by the USA and West Indies in June.
Yesterday, Narine, who is playing as an opener, smashed a century for the Kolkata Knight Riders against the Rajasthan Royals, making it the fourth-fastest IPL hundred ever. He also etched his name in history by becoming the first player to achieve a century, catch a dismissal, and claim a wicket in the same IPL match.
This begs the question: will Narine be seen sporting the West Indies maroon at the World Cup? He announced his retirement from international cricket in November 2023, with his last T20I appearance dating back to August 2019.
West Indies T20I captain Rovman Powell isn’t giving up hope. He’s been actively trying to convince Narine to come out of retirement, stating to ESPNcricinfo, “For the last 12 months, I’ve been whispering in his ears, but he’s blocked out everyone. I’ve asked [Kieron] Pollard, [Dwayne] Bravo, [Nicholas] Pooran. Hopefully, before they select the team, they can crack his code.”
Narine himself remains coy. When asked about a potential comeback after his IPL heroics, he simply replied, “It is what it is, but let’s see what the future holds.”
However, Narine’s international T20I record as a batter isn’t particularly impressive. He has only managed 155 runs in 51 matches, averaging a mere 10. This could be a point of contention for selectors, despite his current IPL dominance.
Cricket fans worldwide will be eagerly awaiting any further developments. Will Narine answer the call and don the West Indies colors once more, or will the World Cup stage remain out of reach?
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