MUMBAI, India, CMC – Kolkata Knight Riders champion off-spinner Sunil Narine has been cleared by the Indian Premier League to continue bowling, in another farcical twist to the saga surround the West Indies player’s action.
The latest development comes following a third biomechanical test on Narine’s remodelled action, which found the player’s off-spinners to be legal.
However, Narine has been warned that if he is reported again during the IPL season, he will be banned from bowling for the remainder of the campaign.
“The Committee, however, has drawn Mr. Narine’s attention to paragraph 4.9 of the IPL Suspected Illegal Bowling Action Policy,” the IPL said in a statement.
“Any further report for a suspected illegal bowling action during the course of this season will automatically mean that Mr. Narine is banned from bowling for the rest of the season.
“The player has therefore been cautioned to be careful not to again deviate from his remodelled action.”
The IPL also said it had removed Narine’s name from the Suspected Illegal Bowling Action Policy’s Warning List and that he would now be eligible to resume bowling his off-breaks, in matches under the auspices of the Indian Cricket Board.
The 26-year-old was reported last month for having a suspected illegal action as it pertained to his off-breaks, following KKR’s clash with Sunrisers Hyderabad in Visakhapatnam.
He subsequently underwent tests on his action at the Sri Ramachandra Arthroscopy and Sports Sciences Centre in Chennai where it was shown that his off-breaks were legal, bowling with his remodelled action.
Narine was also forced to undergo analysis of his action prior to the start of the IPL, in order to be eligible to represent KKR.
This was despite him being cleared by the International Cricket Council accredited University of Loughborough, in March this year.
The saga started last September when Narine was twice reported during the Champions League Twenty20.
…goes wicket-less again in KKR win
KOLKATA, India, CMC – Embattled off-spinner Sunil Narine went wicket-less on his return from a two-week break after having his action reported, as his Kolkata Knight Riders beat Delhi Daredevils by 13 runs at Eden Gardens here yesterday.
On the same day the Indian Premier League announced he had been cleared to resuming bowling off-breaks, the 26-year-old sent down four overs for 30 runs to help restrict Delhi to 158 for six off their 20 overs.
Shreyas Iyer top-scored with 40 from 35 balls while opener Manoj Tiwary and JP Duminy chipped in with 25 apiece.
Narine’s West Indies teammate Andre Russell was superbly economical in his four overs of pace, conceding just 24 runs while picking up the wicket of Angelo Matthews, bowled for 22.
Since remodelling his action after it was reported during the Champions League Twenty20 last September, Narine has been less effective, picking up just two wickets in six matches this season.
Thursday’s contest was his first game since being again reported following KKR’s game against Sunrisers Hyderabad in Visakhapatnam on April 22.
Earlier, KKR rallied to 171 for seven off their 20 overs, after opting to bat first.
Yusuf Pathan struck 42 off 24 balls in the middle order while opener Robin Uthappa struggled for 32 off 31 deliveries.
Russell fell cheaply for five batting down the order.
