TKR not budging on opening batsman Sunil

SUNIL NARINE will remain at the top of the Trinbago Knight Riders (TKR) batting order despite his continued failures with the bat which dates back to the 2017 Hero Caribbean Premier League.

Narine has excelled as an opener in the Indian Premier League, earning MVP this season with 357 runs at an average of 22.31 and a strike-rate of 189.89. In 2017, the Kolkata Knight Riders opener matched the record for the fastest IPL 50 with a 15-ball explosion. Earlier this year, he scored a half-century off just 17 balls in the IPL, underlining his credentials as a mystery spinner turn T20 allrounder.

For Trinbago, however, he has been unable to match his IPL batting form. In the 2017 CPL, Narine demolished the Barbados Tridents with a knock of 79 from 45 balls but was dropped twice in the process – on 35 and 62. Minus that 79 from his season tally of 159 from 13 matches, the Arimian averaged a miserable 6.66 runs in the other 12 matches last CPL even as TKR went on to win the title.

This year, Narine’s CPL struggles continued, averaging just six balls faced per innings before being dismissed cheaply. He has just 37 runs in TKR’s five games at a paltry 7.40 average.

There have been calls for TKR to adjust the batting lineup but their captain Dwayne Bravo was having none of it after his team beat Jamaica Tallawahs in Florida by four wickets to take their record to three wins and two losses.

Bravo was unwavering in his support of Narine and the team’s strategy of using him as a pinch hitter.

“We back him, as a management team we back Sunil. The important thing is when a player is down, you have to make sure and give him confidence and back him. Don’t need to hide him, he’s one of the best players in the world. Sunil Narine’s job is not to make runs for us, if he gets runs, it’s a bonus. The good thing is he is not sucking up balls. He’s outing in the first or the second over and you have the main batters getting the opportunity to bat the bulk of the overs – which is what we really want.

“So whether Sunil out in the first or second ball, it don’t matter, but we don’t bank on him to make runs. Him on top of the order, the opposition knows the damage he can do so we back him as a management team.” Bravo, who hit an astonishing five sixes including three straight off a helpless Krishmar Santokie in the 18th over to bring the match to an almost run-a-ball equation, acknowledged that he has not had the best of tournaments so far but was pleased his blistering knock of 36 from 11 balls helped get TKR the victory.

“It came off today and I’m happy that I am able to contribute with the bat in this tournament. This tournament didn’t start the way I would like it to, on a personal note for me. But cricket for me is not about my personal achievement as long as in key moments I can contribute to team success and the team victory - that is more important - and to see other players develop and grow and take responsibility.

“You look at Ali Khan, you look at Khary Pierre today, Darren (Bravo) is playing well, (Colin) Munro is playing well, (Brendon) McCullum is playing well, so that is more important than Dwayne Bravo doing well. Yeah, I will contribute when it’s really needed and when it really matters and tonight is one of those nights. So, experience helps and that is important. Playing over 400 games, you don’t play it because people like you, but because you’re good enough to play over 400 games. I’ve been there and it’s no pressure, I just stay one game at a time.”