Following an extraordinary display of batting prowess by Sunil Narine, scoring his maiden T20 century with 109 runs for Kolkata Knight Riders, West Indies T20 captain Rovman Powell is making a compelling case for Narine to come out of retirement and represent the West Indies in the upcoming T20 World Cup, scheduled to kick off in the Caribbean and the USA starting on June 1.

Powell's Rajasthan Royals clinched a thrilling victory over Narine's Kolkata Knight Riders by two wickets at Eden Gardens on Tuesday, but it was Narine's exceptional century that captured attention and reignited discussions about his international comeback.

Just days ago, Narine had been adamant about watching the T20 World Cup from home after announcing his retirement from international cricket in November 2023. However, his post-match remarks on Tuesday hinted at a potential change of heart.

"It is what it is, but let's see what the future holds," Narine stated when asked about reconsidering his retirement decision after his stellar performance.

Powell, determined to sway Narine's decision, disclosed his ongoing efforts to convince the seasoned cricketer to return to the West Indies squad.

"For the last 12 months, I've been whispering in his ears, but he's blocked out everyone," Powell revealed. "I've asked Pollard, Bravo, Pooran. Hopefully, before they select the team, they can crack his code," Powell revealed.

Powell's persistence underscores the value Narine could bring to the West Indies team, especially in a high-stakes tournament like the T20 World Cup. Narine's experience, coupled with his remarkable skills showcased in domestic leagues, makes him an enticing prospect for Powell and other team selectors.

As Powell and his counterparts continue to advocate for Narine's return, cricket fans eagerly await Narine's final decision, which could have significant implications for the West Indies' T20 World Cup campaign. Will Narine heed Powell's call and make a dramatic comeback to international cricket? Only time will tell as the tournament approaches and team selections are finalized.

Lucknow Super Giants' Nicholas Pooran showcased his batting prowess on Sunday with a spirited 32-ball 45 against Kolkata Knight Riders in the Indian Premier League match, but his efforts ultimately ended in vain as his side succumbed to an eight-wicket defeat.

Despite Lucknow's loss, Pooran's aggressive innings stood out as he struck four sixes and two fours to provide a much-needed boost to his team's total. His performance, coming in at number six, helped Lucknow Super Giants post a competitive score of 161 for 7.

Kolkata Knight Riders' Mitchell Starc proved to be a significant obstacle for Lucknow, claiming three crucial wickets for 28 runs, including that of Pooran in the final over. Starc's exceptional bowling performance played a pivotal role in restricting Lucknow's run-scoring capabilities in the latter stages of the innings.

Starc got support from Sunil Narine, who failed with the bat, only making six, but bowled well, picking up 1-17 from his quota of overs. Andre Russell was expensive conceding 16 runs but also taking a wicket in the emphatic victory.

Lucknow's hopes were further dashed as Kolkata Knight Riders' Phil Salt dominated the chase with an unbeaten 89 off 47 balls, steering his team to victory with ease. Salt's aggressive batting display, combined with a composed innings of 38 not out from Shreyas Iyer, propelled Kolkata Knight Riders to their target with eight wickets in hand.

In a run-fest at the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai Indians secured their first win of the IPL 2024 season with a commanding 29-run victory over Delhi Capitals. The highlight of the match was Player of the Match Romario Shepherd's explosive batting display in the final over, where he smashed 32 runs off Anrich Nortje to lift Mumbai to a formidable total of 234 for 5.

Mumbai's innings began with a blazing start from Rohit Sharma and Ishan Kishan, who put on an impressive 80-run partnership in just seven overs. Rohit, in particular, was in devastating form, dispatching the Capitals' bowlers to all parts of the ground. He accelerated rapidly, hitting boundaries at will and setting the tone for Mumbai's innings.

As the Capitals looked to regain control with spinners, Rohit continued his onslaught, unfazed by the change in bowling attack. His aggressive strokeplay kept Mumbai's scoreboard ticking at a rapid pace, pushing them to 75 for no loss after six overs.

While Rohit fell just short of a half-century, contributions from Kishan and later Tim David (45* off 21) and Romario Shepherd (39* off 10) propelled Mumbai to a daunting total. Shepherd's heroics in the final over, particularly against Nortje, turned the tide firmly in Mumbai's favor and provided crucial momentum heading into the second innings.

In response, Delhi Capitals fought bravely, led by Prithvi Shaw's attacking 66 off 40 balls and a sensational unbeaten 71 from Tristan Stubbs. Shaw's aggressive approach and Stubbs' late onslaught kept the Capitals in contention, but Mumbai's total proved too challenging to chase down.

Despite the Capitals' spirited efforts, the 20th over of Mumbai's innings, where Romario Shepherd unleashed a flurry of boundaries against Nortje, emerged as the decisive moment of the match. Shepherd's exceptional hitting display not only boosted Mumbai's total significantly but also injected momentum and confidence into the team.

Lucknow Super Giants fell short of their target despite valiant efforts from Nicholas Pooran and KL Rahul, resulting in a 20-run defeat against Rajasthan Royals in Jaipur in their Indian Premier League encounter on Sunday.

Despite Pooran's unbeaten 64 and Rahul's composed 58, Lucknow Super Giants were unable to chase down the imposing target of 194 set by Rajasthan Royals. Sanju Samson's brilliant innings of 82 not out from 52 balls laid the foundation for Rajasthan's victory, propelling them to a commanding total of 193 for 4.

Lucknow Super Giants faced an uphill battle early in their innings as they were reduced to 11 for 3 within the first four overs, courtesy of Trent Boult and Nandre Burger's fiery spells. However, Rahul and Pooran resurrected the innings with a fifth-wicket partnership of 85 runs from 52 balls, keeping their team in the hunt.

Despite their valiant efforts, Lucknow Super Giants found themselves needing 38 runs from the final two overs. Sandeep Sharma's tight bowling in the penultimate over restricted Pooran's big-hitting, leaving too much for Lucknow to achieve in the final over. Avesh Khan closed out the contest comfortably for Rajasthan Royals, sealing their victory.

Sanju Samson's exceptional knock for Rajasthan Royals was the standout performance of the match, anchoring their innings with a blend of finesse and power. His unbeaten 82 provided the necessary impetus for Rajasthan's formidable total, setting the stage for their bowlers to defend the target.

Despite the loss, KL Rahul's return from injury showcased his class and resilience, offering a glimmer of hope for Lucknow Super Giants. His innings of 58 played a crucial role in keeping his team's chase alive, but ultimately, they fell short of the target set by Rajasthan Royals.

Nicholas Pooran's unbeaten 64 was another highlight for Lucknow Super Giants, as he displayed his ability to accelerate the scoring rate under pressure. However, his efforts were in vain as Lucknow Super Giants succumbed to Rajasthan Royals' bowling attack.

In a thrilling encounter in the Indian Premier League on Saturday, Andre Russell emerged as the standout performer, leading Kolkata Knight Riders to a nail-biting four-run victory over Sunrisers Hyderabad with a blistering knock of 64 not out and two crucial wickets.

 Russell's explosive innings turned the tide for Kolkata Knight Riders after a shaky start, propelling them to a formidable total of 208 for 7. After a slow start, Russell unleashed his power-hitting prowess, smashing seven sixes in his unbeaten 64 off just 25 balls. His innings proved instrumental in KKR's recovery from 123 for 6, providing the late surge that propelled them past the 200-run mark.

 However, Sunrisers Hyderabad mounted a spirited chase, with Heinrich Klaasen leading the charge with a valiant innings of 63 runs. Klaasen's assault threatened to snatch victory away from KKR, but Harshit Rana's composed bowling in the final over ensured Kolkata's triumph in a last-ball thriller.

Russell took 2-25.

 Sunil Narine's economical spell and crucial breakthroughs kept Sunrisers in check during the middle overs, setting the stage for Kolkata's dramatic victory. Despite a fierce fightback from Sunrisers, Kolkata Knight Riders held their nerve to secure a crucial win in the IPL.

 Twin 32s from Mayank Agarwal and Abhishek Sharma provided Sunrisers with a solid start, but Russell's brilliance with both bat and ball proved decisive in Kolkata's triumph. With his explosive batting display and impactful bowling, Andre Russell emerged as the hero of the match, guiding Kolkata Knight Riders to a thrilling victory over Sunrisers Hyderabad in a contest that will be remembered for its pulsating finish.

 Sunil Narine is retiring from international cricket. The Trinidadian mystery spinner announced an end to his eight-year international career on Instagram on Sunday.

"I appreciate it has been over four years since I last played for West Indies but today I am announcing my retirement from international cricket," said the 35-year-old Narine who last played for the West Indies in 2019.

“Publicly I am a man of few words but privately there are a few people who have given me unwavering support throughout my career and helped me realize my dream of representing West Indies and to you I express my deepest gratitude."

Notwithstanding the announcement, Narine said he will end his international career by winning the ongoing Super50 league for the Trinbago Red Force. "I love representing Trinidad & Tobago, the country of my birth, and to add another title by winning the Super50 Cup will be the perfect send-off," he said.

Narine played 122 international matches, which included six Tests, 65 ODIs and 51 T20Is and was a member of the West Indies team that won the T20 World Cup in 2012. He has played for the Kolkata Knight Riders in the Indian Premier League since 2012.

He will continue to play for KKR in the IPL, Abu Dhabi in the International League T20, Trinbago in the Caribbean Premier League and Los Angeles in Major League Cricket. He is also part of the Hundred men's competition with Oval Invincibles and also plays in the Big Bash League, Pakistan Super League and Bangladesh Premier League.

Ravindra Jadeja was the hero as the Chennai Super Kings beat the Gujarat Titans by five-wickets in the final of the 2023 Indian Premier League at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Monday

The Titans, after being put in to bat by the Super Kings, made an imposing 214-4 off their 20 overs.

Sai Sudharsan made an extremely composed 47-ball 96 for the Titans including eight fours and six sixes while Wriddhiman Saha made 54 off 39 balls earlier.

A prolonged rain-delay with CSK 4-0 after just three balls meant that, upon the return, they needed a revised target of 171 in 15 overs.

CSK’s formidable opening pair of Devon Conway and Ruturaj Gaikwad continued their excellent form this season, putting on 74 for the first wicket before Gaikwad went for a 16-ball 26. Conway, who top scored for the Super Kings went, soon after, for a 25-ball 47.

In the end, an unbeaten 22-run partnership between Shivam Dube (32*) and Ravindra Jadeja (15*) handed Chennai their fifth IPL title, putting them alongside the Mumbai Indians at the top of the pile.

The match came down to the last two deliveries, with Jadeja facing pacer Mohit Sharma needing 10 to win.

He hit the fifth ball of the final over for a straight six before clipping the final ball down to the fine leg boundary to secure the win.

Sharma tried his best with the ball, taking 3-36 from his three overs while Noor Ahmad took 2-17 from his three.

Royal Challengers Bangalore subjected Rajasthan Royals to a humiliating 112-run thrashing in Jaipur on Sunday, despite brief resistance from Shimron Hetmyer.

The Guyanese batsman made a 19-ball 35 that included a four and four sixes as he tried to get Royals back into the game after crashing to 31-6 after seven overs, chasing RCB’s 171-5. Former England captain Joe Root, who made 10 was the only other batter in double figures for Royals, who were skittled out for 59 in 10.3 overs.

Wayne Parnell was responsible for much of the destruction taking 3-10 from three overs. Michael Bracewell, 2-16, Karn Sharma 2-19 and Glen Maxwell 1-3 provided useful support in the rout.

Earlier, Maxwell scored 54 and Faf du Plessis 55 and Anuj Rawat provided the bulk of the scoring for RCB, who were recording their second win in their last five matches to be fifth in the league table.

Adam Zampa 2-25 and KM Asif 2-42 were the primary wicket-takers for Royals, who were losing their fourth in their last five matches.

Nicholas Pooran and Prerak Mankad starred as the Lucknow Super Giants beat Sunrisers Hyderabad by seven wickets in their Indian Premier League (IPL) fixture at Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium on Saturday.

South African wicketkeeper batsman Heinrich Klaasen led the way with a 29-ball 47 as the Sunrisers posted 182-6 off their 20 overs after winning the toss. Opener Anmolpreet Singh (36) and captain Aiden Markram (28) also made good contributions against 2-24 from Krunal Pandya.

The successful Super Giants chase was then led by Mankad, who brought up his maiden IPL fifty on the way to a top-score of 64* off 45 balls including seven fours and two sixes.

He was joined in the end by Pooran who smashed the Sunrisers bowling to all parts on the way to a brutal 44* off just 13 balls, hitting three fours and four sixes in the process.

Australian Marcus Stoinis also contributed 40 as Lucknow reached 185-3 in 19.2 overs.

Lucknow are now fourth in the table with 13 points from 12 games.

Fit-again Ben Stokes was overlooked by Chennai Super Kings on Wednesday, extending his time on the Indian Premier League sidelines beyond five weeks.

The England Test captain was signed by CSK for a bumper £1.6million but has appeared in just two of their 12 fixtures.

He arrived managing a longstanding condition in his left knee following a flare-up during February’s tour of New Zealand and also picked up a toe complaint which has kept him out of action since April 3.

The all-rounder’s fitness is being closely monitored by the England and Wales Cricket Board ahead of this summer’s Ashes and it is understood he is now cleared to play. CSK tweeted a video of him batting in the nets on Tuesday, showing the 31-year-old striking powerfully down the ground and captioned ‘freeing up those big arms’.

Yet despite his price tag, status and player-of-the-match showing in last year’s T20 World Cup final, he was left out of the squad to face Delhi Capitals.

CSK went into the game in second place and opted to stick with an overseas unit comprising Stokes’ fellow Englishman Moeen Ali, New Zealander Devon Conway and Sri Lankan spinner Maheesh Theekshana.

Conditions at the Chepauk Stadium have been conducive to slow bowlers, which may have stacked the deck in favour of Moeen and Theekshana, as well as Kiwi left-armer Mitchell Santner, who was named among the impact substitutes.

Speaking ahead of the match head coach Mike Hussey said: “Stokes has been training really well. I am pretty sure that he is available for selection. It just comes down to the balance of the squad.

“Obviously, we have been playing in sort of spinning conditions, so they have decided to go for the extra spin-bowling option rather than Stokes, an all-rounder who can bowl seam.”

Stokes, who plans to leave the tournament ahead of the knockout phase to captain England’s summer curtain-raiser against Ireland from June 1-4, has made 15 runs in two innings and bowled a single over since arriving in India.

England fans may be more than happy to see that unexpectedly light workload continue, given the irreplaceable role he plays as batter, bowler and leader. He has overseen 10 wins from 12 games since taking the Test captaincy from Joe Root last year, reinvigorating the side in tandem with head coach Brendon McCullum.