Sunil Philip Narine (born 26 May 1988) is a Trinidadian cricket player who played internationally for the West Indies. He made his One Day International (ODI) debut in December 2011 and Test match debut in June 2012. Primarily an off-spin bowler, he is also a left-handed batsman.[1] Narine was a part of the West Indies team that won the 2012 T20 World Cup, where he took the winning wicket of Lasith Malinga in the final. In November 2023, he announced his retirement from international cricket.[2]

Sunil Narine
Narine in 2014
Personal information
Full name
Sunil Philip Narine
Born (1988-05-26) 26 May 1988 (age 36)
Arima, Trinidad and Tobago
BattingLeft-handed
BowlingRight-arm off break
RoleAll-rounder
International information
National side
Test debut (cap 295)7 June 2012 v England
Last Test19 December 2013 v New Zealand
ODI debut (cap 162)5 December 2011 v India
Last ODI5 October 2016 v Pakistan
T20I debut (cap 55)27 March 2012 v Australia
Last T20I6 August 2019 v India
Domestic team information
YearsTeam
2008/09–2018/19Trinidad and Tobago
2012–presentKolkata Knight Riders
2012/13Sydney Sixers
2013–2015Guyana Amazon Warriors
2013/2018Cape Cobras
2015–presentComilla Victorians
2016–presentTrinbago Knight Riders
2016/21Melbourne Renegades
2017–2018Lahore Qalandars
2017–2019Dhaka Dynamites
2021–presentOval Invincibles
2022–presentComilla Victorians
2023–presentAbu Dhabi Knight Riders
2023Los Angeles Knight Riders
Career statistics
Competition Test ODI FC LA
Matches 6 65 13 116
Runs scored 40 363 1398 714
Batting average 8.00 11.00 21.5 13.22
100s/50s 0/0 0/0 0/0 0/1
Top score 22* 36 40* 51
Balls bowled 1,650 2,435 3023 3,783
Wickets 21 92 65 190
Bowling average 40.25 26.46 17.75 19.91
5 wickets in innings 2 8 8 6
10 wickets in match 0 0 3 0
Best bowling 6/91 6/27 8/17 6/9
Catches/stumpings 2/0 14/0 10/0 35/0
Medal record
Men's Cricket
Representing  West Indies
ICC Men's T20 World Cup
Winner 2012 Sri Lanka
Source: ESPNcricinfo, 7 January 2024

Domestic and T20 franchise career

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Narine made his debut in first-class cricket for Trinidad and Tobago in February 2009 during the Regional Four Day Competition, bowling thirteen overs without taking a wicket.[3] He did not play another first-class match until nearly a year later,[4] and after going wicketless in the first innings claimed a double scalp in the second, that of tail-ender Lionel Baker.[5]

On 20 January 2011, during the Caribbean Twenty20, Narine played his first Twenty20 (T20) match but did not bowl as the match was rained off before Trinidad and Tobago could bowl.[6] In the end, Trinidad and Tobago won the competition and Narine managed five wickets at an average of 13.40.[7][8] By virtue of winning the competition, Trinidad and Tobago qualified for the 2011 Champions League Twenty20 held in September and October, in which Narine was one of three bowlers to take ten or more wickets.[9] He made his List A debut on 20 October 2011 in the Regional Super50, claiming figures of one wicket for 35 runs (1/35); his wicket that of opening batsman Miles Bascombe.[10] Trinidad and Tobago won the competition and Narine was the leading wicket-taker in the competition with 15 scalps, five more than the nearest competitor, fellow spin bowler Nikita Miller.[11][12] Narine is the all-time leading wicket taker in Champions League T20 history with 39 scalps.[13] In February 2012, he was bought by the Kolkata Knight Riders at $700,000 to play for them in the 2012 Indian Premier League.[14]

In May 2018, he was named as one of the ten marquee players for the first edition of the Global T20 Canada cricket tournament.[15][16] On 3 June 2018, he was selected to play for the Montreal Tigers in the players' draft for the inaugural edition of the tournament.[17][18] In 2018 Indian Premier League he became the most valuable player, this was his second MVP award, after his debut season in 2012 IPL.[19]

In October 2018, he was named in the squad for the Dhaka Dynamites team, following the draft for the 2018–19 Bangladesh Premier League.[20] In March 2019, Narine played in his 100th match in the IPL.[21]

In June 2019, he was selected to play for the Montreal Tigers franchise team in the 2019 Global T20 Canada tournament.[22] In July 2020, he was named in the Trinbago Knight Riders squad for the 2020 Caribbean Premier League.[23][24] In February 2021, during the 2020–21 Super50 Cup, Narine played in his 100th List A match.[25]

In April 2022, he was bought by the Oval Invincibles for the 2022 season of The Hundred in England.[26]

On 29 March 2024, he became the fourth player overall to play 500 T20 matches, during the 2024 Indian Premier League.[27] He also became the first spinner and the first player from KKR to achieve the feat.[28][29]

On 16 April 2024, he scored his first century in the IPL with 109 from 56 balls for Kolkata Knight Riders against Rajasthan Royals.[30]

In IPL 2024, he won the MVP award for the 3rd time (the most by a single player), as his performance along with the overall team performance lead to KKR's 3rd title.

International career

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When the West Indies toured India in November and December 2011 Narine was included in the squad. He made his One Day International debut in the third fixture on 6 December, taking the wickets of Virat Kohli and then Ravichandran Ashwin to help the West Indies to a 16-run victory.[31] Playing in the final two matches (both won by India) Narine took one more wicket while conceding a further 87 runs.[32]

Back in the Caribbean, Narine played three of T&T's six matches in February 2012 in the Regional Four Day Competition, taking 31 wickets at an average of 9.61, and finishing as the team's leading wicket-taker and seventh overall.[4][33] Australia arrived in the West Indies in March, and their tour began with five ODIs. Narine and West Indies fast bowler Kemar Roach each finished with eleven wickets and were joined leading wicket takers in the series which was drawn 2–2 .[34][35]

Following an injury to fast bowler Kemar Roach, and the conclusion of the 2012 IPL, Narine was drafted into the West Indies squad for the third and final Test against England in June 2012. At the time he had played just six first-class matches, managing 34 wickets at an average of 11.88.[36] Replacing fellow off spinner Shane Shillingford in the side, Narine made his Test debut on 10 June 2012.[37]

A superb performance by Narine of five wickets for 28 runs on 16 July 2012 helped the West Indies beat New Zealand by 20 runs in their fifth and last ODI and win the current series 4–1 at Basseterre, St. Kitts.[38] Playing only in his second Test he was adjudged the Man of the Match after he picked eight wickets which included his maiden five-wicket haul.[39][40] Narine was left out of the first 2 tests vs New Zealand.

As of 8 March 2014, he topped the ICC Twenty20 rankings of bowlers with 784 points. Saeed Ajmal of Pakistan at second, was way behind in points at 714, while Ajantha Mendis of Sri Lanka with 674 points completed the top three.[41]

He is the only bowler to have bowled a maiden in a Super Over in a Twenty20 match.[42][43] He was left out of the 2021 ICC T20 CWC squad despite his good performance in IPL 2021, prompting several questions and reactions.[44]

Bowling action

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Narine has the reputation of a "mystery bowler", due to the variations that he has on his off breaks, and how he disguises them, but has been reported for a suspect bowling action on a number of occasions.[45] He missed playing in the final of the 2014 Champions League Twenty20 after being suspended for an illegal action with his arm bent by more than 15 degrees and in November 2015 was suspended from bowling in international cricket.[46] His action was reported during the third ODI game against Sri Lanka.[46] In April 2016, he was cleared for bowling in all formats of domestic and international cricket.

Narine's action was again reported during the 2018 Pakistan Super League, but was cleared soon after.[47] In 2020, it was reported yet again, this time during the 2020 Indian Premier League. It was cleared by the IPL Suspect Bowling Action Committee later in the season.[48]

References

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  1. ^ "Narine demolishes RCB with fastest IPL fifty". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 29 May 2017.
  2. ^ "Sunil Narine retires from international cricket". ESPNCricInfo. Retrieved 6 November 2023.
  3. ^ f51427 Trinidad and Tobago v Leeward Islands: Regional Four Day Competition 2008/09, CricketArchive, retrieved 10 June 2012
  4. ^ a b First-class matches played by Sunil Narine, CricketArchive, retrieved 10 June 2012
  5. ^ f52251 Leeward Islands v Trinidad and Tobago: Regional Four Day Competition 2009/10, CricketArchive, retrieved 10 June 2012
  6. ^ tt2076 Hampshire v Trinidad and Tobago: Caribbean T20 2010/11 (Group B), CricketArchive, retrieved 10 June 2012
  7. ^ tt2087 Hampshire v Trinidad and Tobago: Caribbean T20 2010/11 (Final), CricketArchive, retrieved 10 June 2012
  8. ^ Bowling in Caribbean T20 2010/11 (ordered by average), CricketArchive, retrieved 10 June 2012
  9. ^ Bowling in Champions League 2011/12 (ordered by wickets), CricketArchive, retrieved 10 June 2012
  10. ^ a21543 Combined Campuses and Colleges v Trinidad and Tobago: Regional Super50 2011/12 (Group B), CricketArchive, retrieved 10 June 2012
  11. ^ a21563 Jamaica v Trinidad and Tobago: Regional Super50 2011/12 (Final), CricketArchive, retrieved 10 June 2012
  12. ^ Bowling in Regional Super50 2011/12 (ordered by wickets), CricketArchive, retrieved 10 June 2012
  13. ^ "Cricket Records | Champions League Twenty20 | Records | Most wickets | ESPNcricinfo". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 28 April 2017.
  14. ^ List of Players Sold in IPL 2012 Players Auction
  15. ^ "Steven Smith named as marquee player for Canada T20 tournament". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 24 May 2018.
  16. ^ "Steve Smith named as marquee player for Global T20 Canada". Sporting News. Retrieved 24 May 2018.
  17. ^ "Global T20 Canada: Complete Squads". SportsKeeda. 4 June 2018. Retrieved 3 November 2019.
  18. ^ "Global T20 Canada League – Full Squads announced". CricTracker. 4 June 2018. Retrieved 4 June 2018.
  19. ^ "Sunil Narine wins Most Valuable Player of IPL 2018". Cricket Country. 27 May 2018.
  20. ^ "Full players list of the teams following Players Draft of BPL T20 2018–19". Bangladesh Cricket Board. Retrieved 29 October 2018.
  21. ^ "Andre Russell steals the show as Knight Riders make it two in two". ESPNcricinfo. 27 March 2019. Retrieved 28 March 2019.
  22. ^ "Global T20 draft streamed live". Canada Cricket Online. 20 June 2019. Retrieved 20 June 2019.
  23. ^ "Nabi, Lamichhane, Dunk earn big in CPL 2020 draft". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 6 July 2020.
  24. ^ "Teams Selected for Hero CPL 2020". Cricket West Indies. Retrieved 6 July 2020.
  25. ^ "CG Insurance Super50 Cup: Match 10 - Red Force make it four wins in a row". Cricket World. Retrieved 19 February 2021.
  26. ^ "The Hundred 2022: latest squads as Draft picks revealed". BBC Sport. 22 February 2022. Retrieved 5 April 2022.
  27. ^ "IPL 2024: Sunil Narine set to complete massive personal milestone vs RCB". India Today. 29 March 2024. Retrieved 29 March 2024.
  28. ^ OneCricket; Gupta, Sumit (29 March 2024). "KKR's Sunil Narine Set To Make History As First Spinner to Reach 'THIS' Sensational Feat". OneCricket. Retrieved 29 March 2024.
  29. ^ Bharat, E. T. V. (29 March 2024). "IPL 2024 | Sunil Narine Becomes First KKR Player with 500 T20 Appearances". ETV Bharat News. Retrieved 29 March 2024.
  30. ^ "From Pinch-Hitter to Centurion: Sunil Narine Demolishes RR Bowling Scoring a Stunning 49-ball 100 - News18". www.news18.com. Retrieved 17 April 2024.
  31. ^ Narine kept building the pressure – Rampaul, ESPNcricinfo, 6 December 2011, retrieved 10 June 2012
  32. ^ Records / West Indies in India ODI Series, 2011/12 / Most wickets, ESPNcricinfo, archived from the original on 8 December 2011, retrieved 10 June 2012
  33. ^ Records / Regional Four Day Competition, 2011/12 / Most wickets, ESPNcricinfo, retrieved 10 June 2012
  34. ^ Records / Australia in West Indies ODI Series, 2011/12 / Most wickets, ESPNcricinfo, retrieved 10 June 2012
  35. ^ Coverdale, Brydon (25 March 2012), Sammy heroics in vain as Australia draw series, ESPNcricinfo, retrieved 10 June 2012
  36. ^ McGlashan, Andrew (30 May 2012), Narine replaces injured Roach, ESPNcricinfo, retrieved 10 June 2012
  37. ^ England's errors bolster Windies, new.com.au, 10 June 2012, retrieved 10 June 2012
  38. ^ "Five star Narine sees West Indies to win over Kiwis". 17 July 2012. Archived from the original on 18 July 2012.
  39. ^ "Gayle, Narine put West Indies on top". Wisden India. 26 July 2012.
  40. ^ "Sunil Narine the Top Bolwer in All formats". ipl 2020. 30 July 2012.
  41. ^ Cinderella Man (9 March 2014). "Latest ICC T20 player rankings – Batsmen and bowlers". SportsKeeda. Retrieved 3 November 2019.
  42. ^ "Narine's Super-Over maiden sinks Red Steel". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 4 April 2017.
  43. ^ "5th Match: Guyana Amazon Warriors v Trinidad & Tobago Red Steel at Providence, Jul 17, 2014 | Cricket Scorecard | ESPNcricinfo". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 4 April 2017.
  44. ^ "In-form Sunil Narine won't make T20 World Cup cut, confirms Kieron Pollard". Hindustan Times. 13 October 2021. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
  45. ^ Chopra, Akash. "Unravelling the Narine mystery". www.ESPNcricinfo.com. Retrieved 14 April 2013.
  46. ^ a b "Narine suspended after action found illegal". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 29 November 2015.
  47. ^ "Sunil Narine's bowling action reported in PSL". ESPNcricinfo. 16 March 2018. Retrieved 13 April 2019.
  48. ^ "Narine cleared by IPL Suspect Bowling Action Committee". Cricbuzz. Retrieved 18 September 2020.
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