Sunil Narine blasted a blistering 85 runs off just 39 balls to propel the Kolkata Knight Riders to a strong position against the Delhi Capitals in the 16th match of the Indian Premier League on Wednesday.
Opening the batting, Narine unleashed a flurry of boundaries, smashing seven fours and seven sixes. He got off to a quick start with a four in the third over and never looked back. In the fourth over, the Caribbean star took apart Ishant Sharma for 26 runs, including three sixes and two fours.
Narine raced to his fifty off only 21 deliveries in the powerplay's final over, reaching the milestone with a six and three fours off Rasikh Salam. By the end of the powerplay, KKR had raced to a commanding 88-1.
Narine's dominance continued after the powerplay, but his innings ended in the 13th over when he edged a slower delivery from Mitchell Marsh behind the stumps to wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant. Despite falling short of a well-deserved century by just 15 runs, Narine received a standing ovation from the entire stadium. KKR co-owner Shah Rukh Khan was also seen applauding the player from the stands.
Meanwhile, Raghuvanshi, made his first significant contribution in the tournament, smashed 54 runs off just 27 balls against the DC bowlers. His knock included five fours and three sixes. KKR co-owner Shah Rukh Khan, who was present at the stadium, applauded Raghuvanshi's batting display. The cameras turned towards the stands where KKR co-owner Shah Rukh Khan was seen standing up and giving the player a standing ovation.
Narine and Abhishek Raghuvanshi shared a 104-run partnership for the second wicket. KKR are looking to extend their winning streak to three games in IPL 2024, while DC aim for their second win in four matches.
