Barbados: West Indies have taken a gamble by naming Sunil Narine in their squad for the World Twent20 tournament in March as the off-spinner is currently suspended from bowling in international cricket due to an illegal action.
The 27-year-old was reported to the International Cricket Council (ICC) during a one-day series in Sri Lanka last November and was later sanctioned after an independent assessment found his elbow extended beyond the maximum limit of 15 degrees.
Considered an asset to the side, Narine was also initially selected for last year’s 50-over World Cup but later withdrawn, and has been working on his action in a desperate attempt to get it cleared in time for the World Twenty20 in India.
All-rounder Darren Sammy will lead the world’s top-ranked T20 side, which includes 11 players from the contingent that won the last World Cup in Sri Lanka four years ago.
The 15-man squad will assemble in the United Arab Emirates for a preparatory camp between Feb. 22 and March 6, and will travel to India on March 7 for the tournament.
England, South Africa, Sri Lanka and a qualifying team from the first round of the tournament have been pooled with West Indies in group one of the Super 10 stage at the World T20.
Meanwhile, New Delhi’s Feroz Shah Kotla ground is in danger of losing its World Twenty20 fixtures after the Indian cricket board (BCCI) moved a match against Sri Lanka away from the venue due to administrative lapses, reports add from the Indian capital.
The Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA) failed to get the requisite clearances from various civic authorities in order to host the Feb. 12 T20 match between India and Sri Lanka, forcing the BCCI to transfer the contest to Ranchi.
BCCI secretary Anurag Thakur said the DDCA needed to procure all the necessary clearances by Sunday if they were to continue as the hosts of the March 8-April 3 tournament.
“As far as the World Cup is concerned, the World Cup management committee has met today and has also discussed the issue of DDCA,” Thakur said.
Squad: Darren Sammy (captain), Samuel Badree, Sulieman Benn, Darren Bravo, Dwayne Bravo, Andre Fletcher, Chris Gayle, Jason Holder, Sunil Narine, Kieron Pollard, Denesh Ramdin, Andre Russell, Marlon Samuels, Lendl Simmons, Jerome Taylor.
