West Indies cricketer Sunil Narine smashed 106 to take Kolkata Knight Riders to a total of 272-7 against Delhi Capitals in Wednesday’s IPL clash.
The incredible performance added to the ongoing drama of the tournament, a week after Sunrisers Hyderabad posted their highest IPL total of 277-3.
Despite being IPL champions in 2012 and 2014, Kolkata’s dominance this season seems unmatched as Delhi, bottom of the table and managed just 166 runs in 17.2 overs, continuing their three-match unbeaten run. .
Delhi skipper Rishabh Pant produced a scintillating effort of 55 off 25 balls, his second in a row, while Tristan Stubbs contributed a brilliant 54.
However, the rest of the Delhi team failed to counter Kolkata’s fearsome bowling attack.
The match was played at the host venue Delhi due to the upcoming general elections in India, but Sunil Narine and Kolkata claimed the venue with an impressive performance.
Reflecting on his impressive contribution, Narine, who is mostly known for his bowling prowess, said in the post-match interview that he was satisfied with his performance, which was dubbed ‘Man of the Match’ along with his impressive bowling figures of 1. -29.
Opening the batting, Narine damaged the Cirebon attack, hitting seven fours and seven sixes in his 39-run attack and registered his highest T20 score in his 501st game.
Notably, Delhi seamer Ishant Sharma scored an innings of 26 to reach his fifty in just 21 balls and contributed to a commendable 54 with debutant Angkrish Raghuwanshi for 104.
The onslaught continued even after Nary departed as Andre Russell followed up a ruthless innings with a 19-ball 41. Rinku Singh joined the attack and threatened to surpass Hyderabad’s record with 26 off just eight balls.
However, despite an electrifying display of 18 sixes and 22 fours, Kolkata fell short of the record.
Delhi’s chase never got going, losing four wickets in the first five overs, including when Marsh fell to Mitchell Starc, the most expensive buy in IPL history, for a duck. Starc asserted his dominance over the Australian pair, with David Warner dismissed for 18.
Pant and Stubbs tried to revive the round with a 93-run partnership for the fifth wicket, but their efforts went in vain against Varun Chakraborty’s three wickets and Vaibhav Arora’s impressive contribution with the ball, as Kolkata needed three wickets to seal a comprehensive win.
