Embattled West Indies off-spinner Sunil Narine has been cleared to play in the Indian Premier League, after successfully undergoing tests sanctioned by the powerful Indian Cricket Board. The BCCI announced on Sunday that the Trinidadian’s name had been removed from the “warning list of bowlers with suspect action” after having his bowling action examined by a BCCI bowling review committee comprising S Venkatraghavan, Javagal Srinath and Arani Jayaprakash. “The committee concluded that Mr Sunil Narine, who had remodelled his bowling action, was within the ICC approved limits for all types of deliveries that were assessed and has hence recommended to the BCCI, that his name may be removed from the warning list of bowlers with suspect action,” an IPL media release said. Narine was twice called for having a suspected illegal bowling action during last September Champions League Twenty20 in India, and banned from representing Kolkata Knight Riders in the final. The 26-year-old took time off from the game to undergo rehabilitative work and was subsequently cleared by cricket’s world governing body, the International Cricket Council. However, he was told by the BCCI he would have to undergo further tests at the SRMC centre here, in order to be eligible for the IPL. The successful review has allayed KKR’s fears their champion bowler would have been ruled out of their title defence of the multi-million dollar tournament starting Wednesday, and BCCI secretary Anurag Thakur said the IPL was pleased to have Narine participating. “I am happy that we will witness Sunil Narine in action in the Pepsi IPL 8, since he is now cleared by the BCCI committee,” Thakur said.
