Pollard and Narine withdraw from the World T20 2016

West Indies cricket that was already hit by rumors of key players decided to stay out of the World T20 2016 due to remuneration issues has been dealt another blow as big hitting batsman Kieron Pollard and Sunil Narine have withdrawn from the 15-man West Indies squad for the World T20.

The West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) in a press release stated that Pollard pulled out due to “lack of sufficient progress in his rehabilitative work” while the reason behind Narine’s unavailability was “insufficient progress in the rehabilitative work on his bowling action”. The mystery bowler is at the moment banned from bowling in international cricket due to issues with his bowling action.

WICB has named all-rounder Carlos Brathwaite as a replacement for Pollard and is yet to announce a replacement for Narine.

WICB Media Release stated:

St. John’s, ANTIGUA – The West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) wishes to advise that two of the 15-member squad selected to participate in the ICC World Twenty20 in India in March to April have withdrawn.

The players and reasons are:

1) On Tuesday February 9, Kieron Pollard withdrew from the squad citing a lack of sufficient progress in his rehabilitative work (injury sustained in December) and hence won’t be fit for tournament.

2) On Friday, February 12, Sunil Narine withdrew citing insufficient progress in the rehabilitative work on his bowling action. He is currently banned from bowling in International Cricket.

The selectors have today named Carlos Brathwaite to replace Pollard. A replacement for Narine has not yet been named.