Surrey County Cricket Club on Wednesday announced that they had secured the services of Trinidad and Windies spinner Sunil Narine for this year’s Vitality Blast. Narine will join the club following his stint at the Indian Premier League with the Kolkata Knight Riders and be available for the entirety of the premier English T20 tournament.
“I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to play for Surrey in the Vitality Blast this year; one of the few competitions around the world I’ve not experienced in my career,” said Narine on joining the side as one of its two overseas singings for the season. “The stint I enjoyed with Oval Invincibles in 2021 gave me a taste of how unique playing in front of a packed Kia Oval audience really is. My aim is to entertain as much as possible this year and hopefully ensure the Club challenges for the trophy,” he added.
The 33-year-old comes with a plethora of experience on the back of as many as 51 T20Is and 391 T20s. The mystery spinner has 429 wickets in his kitty in this particular format of the game.
Surrey’s Director of Cricket Alec Stewart said, “We’re very pleased Sunil will be joining us for this year’s Vitality Blast. His unique skills as a bowler and ability to bat anywhere in the order make him a very exciting proposition in any T20 side,” adding, “As a proven winner in this format, his experience of international cricket and leagues around the world will be an invaluable asset. I look forward to seeing him perform in a Surrey shirt this summer.”
The 20th edition of England’s flagship T20 tournament will kick-start on May 25, 2022, when reigning champions Kent Spitfires will host Somerset.