Kolkata Knight Riders’ dynamic all-rounder Sunil Narine struggled to make an impact against the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) bowling attack, managing only 10 runs from 15 deliveries at Eden Gardens on Sunday.
RCB’s opening bowlers, Mohammed Siraj and Yash Dayal, executed a strategic approach to restrict the aggressive batter. They maintained tight lines, leaving Narine with minimal scoring opportunities. This tactic was evident as Narine took eight deliveries to score his first run.
Narine attempted to build momentum during the powerplay by hitting a couple of boundaries, but Yash Dayal eventually dismissed him with a skillfully executed back-of-the-hand delivery.
Despite trying to clear the long-off boundary, the left-hander struggled due to the slower pace of the ball. Virat Kohli then comfortably caught the ball, celebrating with a roar to signify the breakthrough.
You can watch the dismissal video here:
https://x.com/ipl/status/1781996095582925061?s=46
Sunil Narine exited the crease with a strike rate of just 66.67 and had scored only two boundaries. His departure left KKR at 66/2 in the sixth over.
KKR is aiming to recover after losing wickets towards the end of the powerplay, including Narine’s dismissal
KKR enjoyed another rapid start in the powerplay, led by Phil Salt’s aggressive batting. The English player came close to achieving one of the fastest IPL fifties but fell short, getting out for 48 runs off just 14 deliveries.
He ensured KKR capitalized on the powerplay, while Sunil Narine faced difficulties at the other end. In the final over of the powerplay, KKR lost two wickets.
Narine was dismissed on the second ball by Yash Dayal, while Angkrish Raghuvanshi departed on the last ball after a remarkable catch by Cameron Green. Sunil Narine’s disappointing performance against RCB halted his progress in the Orange Cap race.
After his century against the Rajasthan Royals (RR), he had surged into the top five rankings. Although he didn’t contribute much with the bat in this match, Narine still has the opportunity to make an impact with the ball in the second innings.
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