Timing of Narine suspension no accident – suggests Lloyd

MUMBAI, India (CMC) — Chief West Indies cricket selector Clive Lloyd has suggested the possibility of a sinister motive behind the decision to suspend spinner Sunil Narine from the Champions League T20 final.

Narine was suspended from bowling in Saturday’s final for Kolkata Knight Riders against Chennai Super Kings because of a suspect bowling action.

However, Lloyd has disclosed that the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) and the West Indies team management had been told that Narine would be under the scanner in India by a source whose identity he did not disclose.

“Before we came here we were told that they were going to call Narine, so it’s quite obvious that something must have been said somewhere,” Lloyd said.

“I really can’t tell you that [who it was] but I can tell you it’s a highly reliable source, because we have to make contingency plans for things like that just in case it happens.”

The former West Indies captain has questioned the timing of Narine’s suspension, saying the decision could be “destroying” to him as well as affecting the team’s chances in the forthcoming tour of India and in the World Cup.

From October 8, West Indies will play five ODIs and a T20 against India, before three Tests.

Narine’s bowling ban is restricted only to the Champions League and other BCCI-run tournaments like the IPL.

Narine has been advised to remain in Hyderabad, while the Kolkata Knight Riders team moved to Bangalore for the Champions League T20 final.

He is said to be awaiting further instructions from the WICB, on whether to join his West Indies teammates in Mumbai or Kochi or to return home.

“We will have to take that decision in a day or so. I am very disappointed because he is an exciting cricketer,” Lloyd said on Friday, at Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai, where West Indies played a warm-up game.

“The point is, just like [Muttiah] Muralitharan, because your action is different, doesn’t mean that you are throwing.”

Reports suggest that a decision will be arrived at before Monday when the West Indies squad leaves Mumbai for Kochi, which will host the first ODI.

“We have to take a look at things and assess the situation. We don’t want to make any rash decision as such. We will discuss it,” said Lloyd.

“The board [WICB] will probably take it from there. We will have to inform the board. We can’t take decisions just like that. They have to be informed.”