Narine withdraws from West Indies world cup squad

Rehabilitated after being reported for suspect action last year, Narine is not yet match-confident in his new bowling action

West Indies cricketer Sunil Narine delivers a ball during a practice session at the Sabina Park stadium in Kingston on June 27, 2013. West Indies will face Sri Lanka in the first match of a Tri Nation series involving India too. AFP PHOTO/Jewel Samad

Off-spinner Sunil Narine withdrew from the West Indies squad for the Cricket World Cup on Tuesday saying he was not fully confident in his revised bowling action.

The West Indies Cricket Board said a replacement will be named shortly.

Narine’s action was reported as suspect in India in September, but he was suspended only from matches in India. He rehabilitated himself, and preliminary tests showed he was bowling legally when he was picked by West Indies this month.

“However,” a board statement said, “he requires more time to be able to confidently bowl for a sustained period in international cricket with his new action.”

Narine helped Trinidad and Tobago win the West Indies regional limited overs title on Sunday with remarkable figures of 8-3-9-6.

“But going into the World Cup is a little too much too soon and, after consulting the WICB, for both West Indies and my sake we have decided to delay my return to international cricket until I am 100 per cent confident in all that I do,” Narine said in the statement.