Sunil Narine cleared to bowl in IPL, given final warning
Kolkata Knight Riders spinner Sunil Narine has been cleared to bowl in the ongoing season of the Indian Premier League (IPL). The 26-year-old was banned from bowling his off-spinning delivery after it was found to exceed the 15 degrees level of tolerance permitted under the regulations.
This is the second time that Narine has been banned and then cleared by the BCCI. Last year, he was banned from bowling just before the Champions League T20 (CLT20) final but was cleared to bowl just before the start of IPL 2015.
Narine has been a given “final warning” by the BCCI, which could mean that if Narine is found to be bowling with a suspect bowling action again, he could face a permanent ban from the league.
Narine has 69 wickets in his IPL career so far, at an average of 17.79 and at an economy of 5.92 (which is astounding by T20 standards). This season, though, the Trinidadian, bowling with a new action, hasn’t put on a great show, picking up just 2 wickets in the 5 matches he has played in.
This will come as a big boost for the Kolkata-based franchise whose main weapon since 2012 has been the West Indian mystery bowler. They next face off against the Delhi Daredevils at the Eden Gardens later tonight.