IPL: Narine cleared for suspect bowling action, off warning list
In a huge for relief Kolkata Knight Riders, off-spinner Sunil Narine has been cleared by the IPL's Suspect Bowling Action Committee. According to an IPL media release, his name has been taken off the suspect action warning list. Narine was reported for a suspect action after the match against Kings XI Punjab in Abu Dhabi. Here is more on the same.
Here is what the release stated. "KKR requested for an Official Assessment of Narine's action from the IPL Suspect Bowling Action Committee," it read. "The Committee carefully reviewed all the deliveries of action footage sent of Narine with the naked eye and has come to the conclusion that the elbow-bend appears to be within the range of permissible limits."
"The Committee also noted that Narine should reproduce the same action going forward in the IPL 2020 matches as presented to the Committee in the video footage. Narine has now been removed from the IPL Suspect Action Warning List," the release added.
Following the game against KXIP, Narine was reported for suspect bowling action. Notably, the report was made by on-field umpires later on. He was then placed on a warning list for the same. Although he could continue to bowl, he faced a risk of suspension after being reported for a second time. As a result, KKR left Narine out in the next two games.
Narine's action has been under the scanner since 2014. He was reported twice in the 2014 Champions League and missed the 2015 World Cup. During the 2015 IPL, he was reported again before finally getting suspended from bowling in November that year. Although the ICC cleared his action in 2016, he had to miss the World T20 in India that year.
In the ongoing IPL season, Narine has struggled with the bat, having scored mere 44 runs from five innings at an average of 8.80, so far. However, he has struck for KKR at crucial junctures, taking a total of five wickets. He will likely be a part of KKR XI by replacing Chris Green in the upcoming game against Sunrisers Hyderabad.
