Sunil Narine should play the T20 World Cup 2024 for West Indies, said his KKR teammate Andre Russell after they defeated SRH in the IPL 2024 Qualifier 1 and made their entry into the final of the tournament.
Narine, who has been in outstanding form with both bat and ball in the Indian Premier League this season, has opted out of the ICC competition. Narine resigned from international cricket in 2023, and his last T20I for the West Indies was in 2019.
In the ongoing IPL 2024, Sunil Narine was asked to open the innings once again and he starred for his team. He has scored 482 runs in 14 matches with a strike rate of 179.85 and scored his maiden T20 century as well, apart from hitting 3 fifties. With the ball, Narine has taken 16 wickets at an economy of 6.90.
I respect his decision as well: Andre Russell on Sunil Narine not playing in T20 World Cup
Speaking to Star Sports, Russell said that he was happy for Sunil Narine, who has had a mega impact for KKR this season. When asked if Narine should participate in the T20 World Cup, which the West Indies are co-hosting, Russell stated that he would prefer Narine to play in the ICC tournament.
Russell admitted that for the past two weeks, he had been whispering about the ICC competition in Narine’s ears.
“I definitely think so (should Narine play T20 World Cup?). I was trying to get in his head before the squad was announced. For like two weeks straight, me and Rutherford kept talking to him and told him ‘hey please, just for this World Cup, then you can retire, do whatever you want to do’. I think he has made a decision and I respect his decision as well. If he could change the decision, the whole West Indies will be happy,” Russell said.
Sunil Narine, KKR’s star, has ruled out returning from retirement to play for the West Indies in the next T20 World Cup on Tuesday, April 23.
“I hope this message finds you all well and in good health. I am 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,” Narine had said on Instagram.
KKR will now face the winner of Qualifier 2 on May 26 in the IPL 2024 final in Ahmedabad.
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