Sunil Narine pulls out of Finals day of 2023 Vitality Blast to stay back with LAKR squad

West Indies star Sunil Narine has withdrawn his decision to travel from Dallas to play for Surrey on the finals day of the Vitality T20 Blast in Edgbaston on Saturday, July 15.

Narine will lead the Los Angeles Knight Riders (LAKR) in the inaugural edition of the Major League Cricket, starting at the Grand Prairie Stadium on Friday, July 14. The decision came a day after the 35-year-old was reported to travel 9000 miles from Dallas to the UK to participate in the T20 Blast final.

Considering LAKR does not play after the opening game until Monday, the reversal in Sunil Narine's decision was a surprise, leaving the Surrey cricket team frustrated.

Team director Alec Stewart expressed his disappointment in a statement saying:

"We were aware when we signed Sunil for the T20 Blast that he could be unavailable for Finals Day due to his pre-signed contract with the Knight Riders in the MLC."

"However, all of the subsequent conversations with the various parties since he arrived for the group games and leading into this week were that we would have him back for Saturday, so it's disappointing and frustrating to lose a player of Sunil's quality at such late notice," Stewart added. "Sunil's absence now presents a great opportunity for another player to come into the team and make an impact at Edgbaston this weekend."

The West Indian superstar was a key contributor for Surrey throughout the tournament, picking up 20 wickets in 15 games at an average of 22.85 and an economy rate of 7.76 runs per over. Narine also added immense value with the bat, scoring 202 runs at a strike rate of nearly 160.

His exploits helped Surrey finish third in the South Group, with eight wins in 14 games. The side emerged victorious in their quarter-finals against Lanchasire, with Sunil Narine picking up the vital wicket of dangerman Liam Livingstone.

With Narine's decision to stay with the LAKR squad in the USA, Surrey will be left with Sean Abbott as their only overseas player for the semi-final clash against Somerset.

As per the ECB rules and regulations, only players contracted with a county during the group stages are eligible for the knockout stages, due to which Surrey will not be allowed to have an overseas replacement for Narine.

Coming to his LAKR squad in the six-team competition, Sunil Narine will be joined by several International stars, Martin Guptill, Adam Zampa, Jason Roy, and Rilee Russouw, among others. He will also have Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) teammate Andre Russell riding shotgun as the dynamic duo looks to showcase their T20 prowess to the American audience.

---

LAKR Squad for the 2023 Major League Cricket

Sunil Narine (C), Saif Badar, Unmukt Chand, Corne Dry, Lockie Ferguson, Martin Guptill, Spencer Johnson, Ali Khan, Nitish Kumar, Jaskaran Malhotra (wk), Rilee Rossouw, Jason Roy, Andre Russell, Ali Sheikh, Gajanand Singh, Shadley van Schalkwyk, Bhaskar Yadram, and Adam Zampa.