Irfan Pathan picks Sunil Narine as the greatest T20 cricketer of all time
Pathan prefers Narine over Rashid Khan, Jasprit Bumrah and Virat Kohli
Narine's all-round abilities and batting higher up the order influenced Pathan's choice
Not Jasprit Bumrah Or Virat Kohli! Former India Pacer Picks Greatest T20 Cricketer Of All Time
Irfan Pathan names Sunil Narine as the greatest T20 cricketer of all time, explaining why the KKR star edges out Rashid Khan, Jasprit Bumrah and Virat Kohlia
Summary
Picking the greatest T20 cricketer of all time is never an easy debate, especially when the format has produced several match-winners across generations. From Virat Kohli's batting consistency and Chris Gayle's explosive hitting to Jasprit Bumrah's remarkable bowling skills, the choices are endless.
However, former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan has made his verdict, and his selection might surprise many fans. Pathan has backed Kolkata Knight Riders' mystery spinner Sunil Narine, placing him ahead of some of the biggest names in the game.
Irfan Pathan Chooses Sunil Narine Over Rashid Khan, Bumrah and Kohli
Pathan was recently involved in a player-selection challenge featuring some of T20 cricket's biggest stars. The former India cricketer had to pick between players across multiple rounds, with Narine eventually emerging as his ultimate choice.
The contest featured several intriguing matchups. Pathan picked Narine over Afghanistan's Rashid Khan, AB de Villiers over Andre Russell, Kohli over Gayle and Bumrah over Kieron Pollard.
In the subsequent rounds, Narine defeated de Villiers, while Bumrah edged past Kohli. In the final decision, however, Pathan backed the West Indies all-rounder over the Indian pace spearhead.
Explaining his preference for Narine over Rashid, Pathan said:
"Rashid Khan is my personal favourite. I would actually have him in my team, but because Sunil Narine has batted up the order just a little bit, he takes an edge. So Sunil Narine," Pathan said.
Why Sunil Narine Stands Out in T20 Cricket
Narine's impact extends well beyond his mystery spin. The West Indies star has established himself as one of the format's most valuable players through his bowling, economical spells and increasingly dangerous batting at the top of the order.
As of November 2026, Narine has claimed 658 wickets in 617 T20 matches and scored over 5,000 runs. He has also won three Indian Premier League (IPL) titles with KKR and earned three Most Valuable Player awards, an unprecedented achievement in the tournament.
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