IPL Performance Puts Veteran All-Rounder in West Indies’ T20 World Cup Consideration

West Indies T20I captain, Rovman Powell, has expressed his intention to persuade the in-form all-rounder, Sunil Narine, to come out of retirement and join the Caribbean team for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in June.

Narine, a standout performer in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL), demonstrated his prowess with a brilliant century for the Kolkata Knight Riders, despite their defeat to the Rajasthan Royals at Eden Gardens on Tuesday.

This performance propelled Narine to third place among the top run-scorers in this year’s IPL, reminding the West Indies’ selectors of his potential as a powerful left-handed opener.

However, Narine, who hasn’t played an international match since August 2019 and officially retired in November last year, is unlikely to participate in this year’s 20-over showcase, co-hosted by the West Indies and the USA.

Despite this, Powell, who captains the West Indies’ T20I side and witnessed Narine’s impressive 109-run innings from close quarters, hinted at a possibility of the veteran player’s participation in this year’s T20 World Cup.

“I’ve been trying to persuade him (Narine) for the last 12 months, but he’s been resistant,” Powell admitted. “I’ve sought help from (Kieron) Pollard, (Dwayne) Bravo, and (Nicholas) Pooran. Hopefully, they can convince him before the team selection.”

West Indies celebrating their victory in the 2012 ICC World Twenty20 with a memorable dance

Earlier in the IPL, Narine had stated that he would likely be watching the T20 World Cup from home. However, post-match, he hinted at reconsidering his retirement decision, saying, “It is what it is, but let’s see what the future holds.”

Narine, who has played 51 T20Is for the West Indies, played a significant role in the Caribbean team’s victory in the fourth edition of the T20 World Cup in Sri Lanka in 2012.