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• 'I wish you all the best..': Narine officially shuts door on Windies comeback for T20 World Cup

  The hopes of Sunil Narine's pursuers and cricket enthusiasts at large were dashed, as the player has shut the proverbial door on coming out of retirement, thereby ruling himself out of selection to represent West Indies at the upcoming ICC Men's Twenty20 World Cup.

  West Indies captain Rovman Powell and Cricket West Indies vice-president Azim Bassarath were among those hoping to convince Narine to make himself available for one last hurrah at the June 1-29 global showpiece to be hosted in the Caribbean and United States. However, the decision that fans awaited with bated breaths came recently when Narine confirmed that "that door is now closed" despite his stellar form for Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL.

  Narine, 35, is currently leading the tournament's MVP standings after a remarkable run of form, including a magnificent 56-ball unbeaten 109 against Rajasthan Royals last week, his maiden T20 century. He is also KKR's joint-leading wicket-taker, taking nine at 22.11 with his offspin, at an economy rate of 7.10.

  That rich vein of form is what initially resulted in Powell's pursuit, as the Jamaican admitted that he had been "whispering in [Narine's] ears" over the previous 12 months, ahead of what will be West Indies' first home World Cup campaign since 2007.

  Narine, who retired from international cricket in November 2023, having not played for West Indies since 2019, insisted he was not about to change his mind.

  "I'm truly flattered and humbled that my performances recently have moved many people to publicly express their wish for me to come out of retirement and play in the upcoming T20 World Cup," Narine wrote in a statement issued by KKR, 

  "I have made peace with that decision and whilst I never wish to disappoint, that door is now closed, and I will be supporting the guys who take the field in June for West Indies. Guys who have worked hard for the past few months and deserve to show our wonderful fans that they are capable of winning another title - I wish you all the best," he added.

  The Darren Sammy-led West Indies, who won the 2012 and 2016 edition, will be hunting a third title overall and first with Sammy at the helm as coach. 

   

• CWI president Shallow hails Harpy Eagles after gripping Windies Championship campaign

  President of Cricket West Indies, Dr Kishore Shallow, extended heartfelt congratulations to Guyana Harpy Eagles, who emphasized their remarkable consistency and dedication in topping the just-concluded West Indies Championship.

  The Harpy Eagles, who were slow into stride in the four-day cricket campaign, rebounded well in a thrilling showcase of their cricket prowess to retain their title and pocket the US$250,000 prize.

  “The Guyana Harpy Eagles have demonstrated immense skills, tactical astuteness, and resilience throughout the tournament, showcasing the true spirit of West Indies cricket," Shallow said.

  In a gripping race to the championship, the Harpy Eagles secured a decisive eight-wicket victory over the Combined Campuses and Colleges Marooners, which propelled them to the top of the table with 103.8 points. Their path to victory was charted by key performances from Raymond Perez’s, an unbeaten 79 runs, and skipper Tevin Imlach’s crucial half-century.

  Their champion status was confirmed for the seventh time in nine years, after Leeward Islands Hurricane and Windward Islands Volcanoes, played out a hard-fought draw, while Barbados Pride were stunned by CWI Academy.

  Dr Shallow lauded the collective efforts of all participating teams.

  “The West Indies Championship is the pinnacle of regional cricket and serves as a testament to the rich legacy and tradition of cricket in our region. Therefore, it was only fitting that Cricket West Indies further invested in this level of cricket by increasing the financial winnings to incentivize players further and build interest across the region," Shallow reasoned.

  

  As the cricketing community reflects on the tournament’s outcomes, Dr Shallow expressed optimism for the future of West Indies cricket, as the regional body remains committed to fostering excellence and nurturing talent at all levels.

  “The dedication and passion exhibited by our teams reaffirm cricket’s enduring significance and relevance, which we are confident will positively produce more desirable and sustained success at the international level," the CWI president noted.

  Final standings

  Guyana Harpy Eagles – 103.8

  Windward Islands Volcanoes – 98.2

  Leeward Islands Hurricanes – 94.0

  Barbados Pride – 92.8

  TT Red Force – 92.0

  West Indies Academy – 71.6

  Jamaica Scorpions – 59.4

  Combined Campuses and Colleges – 30.2

• Waite, Gayle eye improvements as Tivoli, Waterhouse remain level in quarterfinal tie

  It is as you were between Tivoli Gardens and Waterhouse heading into the second-leg of their Wray and Nephew Jamaica Premier League quarter-final encounter, as they played out a 1-1 stalemate in first-leg action at Sabina Park on Monday.

  Javane Bryan, with his 15th goal of the season, gave Waterhouse the lead from a 44th-minute penalty, but substitute Lennox Russell replied for Tivoli Gardens in the 74th to ensure both teams remain level ahead of next Monday's decisive contest, at the same venue.

  Waterhouse's Head coach Marcel 'Fuzzy' Gayle was the happier of the two tacticians, having lost twice to Tivoli Gardens in the preliminary phase of the season.

  "We are grateful that we are still in it, so kudos to my team, I think we played well. We had an objective today and I think we met it the only disappointment is that we didn't keep a clean sheet because of that mistake and with our senior players on the park we should have done better in that moment.  So, we still can perform better and so we are going to put in the work for the next leg and go out there and play again," Gayle said in a post-match interview.

  "Tivoli is a quality team, they finished third which is a testament to their strength so we expected a close game, it did come down to fine margins and we know set plays can make a difference. So, it's something we have in our arsenal as we move forward," he added.

  It was a tentative start by both teams in the early exchanges as they moved the ball well but didn't really offer much in the attacking third at that point. In fact, it wasn't until in the 24th minute that Tivoli Gardens started to look more threatening in open play and even got the ball in the back of the net, only for it to be called back for a foul on Waterhouse's custodian Kemar Foster.

  

  Prior to that, the West Kingston team orchestrated a good build up play, which saw Anthony Nelson's header coming back off the crossbar, after he deflected Horatio Morgan's intended shot from an angle goalwards.

  At the other end, Nickoy Christian went close for Waterhouse with a 38th-minute freekick that was punched clear by Diego Haughton in goal for Tivoli Gardens. 

  The deadlock was eventually broken six minutes later when Bryan picked himself up and converted from the 12-yard spot, after he was felled by Nathan Thomas in the danger area, to put Waterhouse 1-0 up at the break. 

  Tivoli Gardens were more purposeful on the resumption, as the substitutions injected some tempo into their attacking thrust and they bossed possession and forced Waterhouse into a defensive posture. They again threatened in the 57th when Justin Dunn’s cross found Morgan, whose effort was charged down by a defender.

  However, they were back on level terms minutes later as substitute Rodico Wellington executed a cheeky freekick that eluded Waterhouse's custodian Foster, and another substitute Russell was well positioned to finish the rebound.

  From there, Tivoli Gardens went for the winner and should have had it in the 81st minute. This, as Nickalia Fuller's weighted cross found Wellington in space for a free header, but the once clinical player steered his effort wide of the target.

  Tivoli's Jerome Waite was pleased with his team's response after a lukewarm first half.

  "Put it this way, the first half we didn't play, and these players have to understand that attitude don't win game you have to come out and play. It was a different second half thanks to the substitutes, but we still have 90 more minutes to play so we just have to go back analyse what we need to do better and come out and do what we have to, to win the game," Waite shared.