(CMC) – Cricket West Indies director of cricket Miles Bascombe praised retiring off-spinner Sunil Narine for the excitement he brought to the sport.
Narine announced his retirement from international and List A One-day matches on Sunday, but he said he will continue to play franchise Twenty20 matches for the foreseeable future.
The 35-year-old from Trinidad & Tobago made his international debut for West Indies in India in 2011, and he played six Tests, 65 One-day Internationals, and 51 Twenty20 Internationals for the Caribbean side during an international career spanning eight years.
“On behalf of CWI, I would like to thank Sunil Narine for his contribution to the West Indies during his time on the international stage,” Bascombe said. “He was the kind of bowler who excited fans and brought them to the game. He was the ‘X’ factor in the West Indies bowling attack and produced some amazing spells.
“When at his best, he ranked among the very best in the modern era. We all remember the magical bowling performance in Sri Lanka when he helped the West Indies to their first T20I World Cup title. As he continues his playing career, we wish him more success.”
Narine was a member of the West Indies team that won the ICC Men’s T20I World Cup 11 years ago when they beat hosts Sri Lanka at the Premadasa Stadium in Colombo, playing a crucial role with the ball in the 36-run win with three wickets.
He is in the T&T Red Force squad for the first semi-final of the West IndiesSuper50 Cup to be played on Wednesday at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in his homeland, and they are hoping to give him a fitting send-off by qualifying for the final and winning a 14th title.
Red Force teammates hail Narine
Meanwhile, Narine’s Red Force teammates Akeal Hosein, Jason Mohammed, Jayden Seales, and coach David Furlonge all paid tribute to him when they spoke to Guardian Media freelance reporter Vinaya Boodram, during the team’s training session at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Tarouba, yesterday.
AKEAL HOSEIN: “He’s a magician. We all call him a king, not only in this dressing room but in many other dressing rooms as well. That name sticks with him. And he’s a king for a reason. He’s excellent at what he does and he’s also a brilliant team player as well. He’s always willing to share some advice and help you learn new tricks. So hopefully we can do this one for Sunil Narine. Thank you very much for all that you’ve contributed to West Indies cricket.”
JASON MOHAMMED: “I just want to say happy retirement to him. Obviously, he’s one of the best, if not the best, spinner to ever play for Trinidad and Tobago and West Indies. For me, it was a pleasure playing with him from youth cricket to senior team level for Trinidad and Tobago. So just want to wish him all the best in his retirement. He’s been a good server for the country and West Indies cricket and it was a pleasure being a part of his journey so hope he enjoys his retirement.”
JAYDEN SEALES: “So obviously, Sunil retiring is a big loss for West Indies cricket and Trinidad and Tobago cricket as well domestically. He’s been a great help to not only myself but also all the players who have come up around him, the spinners. In CPL this year, he gave me a bit of advice on bowling and I’ve used it and still working on the skills that he helped me with. So obviously, losing him around the setup will be a big thing for everyone.”
DAVID FURLONGE: “I mean, Sunil has given all, he’s given his best for his country, for the region. I’m glad for him. I’m happy he has now decided. Before the tournament, he mentioned to me that it would be his last tournament. So with that, I’ll wish him all the best foot forward. Sunil has been working with several young players. Several of these young players have been sort of copying him in terms of his deliveries and so on. So yes, maybe shortly, we will have somebody coming up like Sunil. I won’t like to call any names, but you know we have Brian Charles in the team there now, who Sunil has been working with. So you know, we’re looking to Brian, sort of taking over the mantle from Sunil in a couple of years.”
