West Indies All-Rounder Narine Declines T20 World Cup Return

Despite his recent impressive performance in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL), West Indies all-rounder Sunil Narine, who retired from international cricket last year, has ruled out a potential return for the upcoming T20 World Cup.

Playing for the Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL, Narine has contributed a total of 286 runs with an average above 40 and taken nine wickets with his off-spin, sparking speculation about a possible comeback.

Rovman Powell, West Indies T20I captain, recently revealed his attempts to persuade Narine to come out of retirement for the T20 World Cup, which West Indies will co-host with the USA in June.

However, Narine confirmed on social media on Monday that he has no plans to return to international cricket. “I’m 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,” Narine wrote. “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.”

He added, “Guys who have worked hard for the past few months and deserve to show our wonderful fans that they are capable of winning another title – I wish you all the best.”

A post shared by Sunil Narine (@sunilnarine24)

The West Indies will kick off their T20 World Cup campaign in Guyana against Papua New Guinea on June 2, followed by Group C matches against Uganda, New Zealand, and Afghanistan.