KKR's Rahane Praises Narine: The Champion Bowler Who Arrives Early for Practice
In New Delhi, following Kolkata Knight Riders’ (KKR) victorious comeback against Delhi Capitals (DC), securing a 14-run victory, KKR’s captain Ajinkya Rahane praised veteran spinner Sunil Narine. The spin wizard delivered a pivotal performance that dismantled DC's middle order precisely as they seemed poised for an effortless triumph. This strategic move helped the reigning champions regain control during the match held in the nation’s capital on April 30, according to ANI.
At the ideal moment, Sunil Narine and Varun Chakravarthy showcased their brilliance, leading Delhi Capitals to crumble from 136/3 to 160/8 as they took multiple early wickets in a chase of 205 runs at the Arun Jaitley Stadium. Even though Vipraj Nigam put up a valiant effort, Delhi Capitals fell short by 14 runs, extending their dismal performance at home.
After the match during the post-game ceremony, Rahane commented, “Once Sunil started bowling and took those two crucial wickets, particularly when they lost three key players in the middle of their innings, I believed we had seized control of the game. We sensed our batting performance could have been better. Sunil bowled impressively; his partnership with Andre Russell was solid as well. Anukul Roy also delivered an excellent spell. Given how consistent he’s been lately, we decided to trust him further.”
Furthermore, Rahane referred to Narine as a "top-notch bowler."
The one who scored the winning goal for us. It’s great having both of them as captains. Narine arrives early at practice sessions, putting in extra effort and also practicing his batting skills. Andre Russell, known as 'Dre,' is equally dedicated to improving his bowling; he’s been focusing on delivering Yorkers during training. We believe in trusting him with this approach. He has consistently delivered impressive performances for our team every time he bowls, often securing crucial wickets.
In the game, DC secured the win after winning the coin toss and deciding to bowl first. Rapid innings from the opening batsmen—Rahmanullah Gurbaz scoring 26 off 12 deliveries including five fours and one six, Sunil Narine contributing 27 runs in 16 balls with two fours and two sixes, team captain Ajinkya Rahane making 26 off 14 balls featuring four boundaries and a six, and Angkrish Raghuvanshi hitting an impressive 44 runs in 32 balls comprising three fours and two sixes—as well as their collaborative effort of putting up a significant partnership worth 61 runs alongside Rinku Singh who scored 36 off 25 balls consisting of three fours and one six helped KKR reach a total score of 204 for 9 wickets within the allotted twenty overs.
Among the leading bowlers for DC were Mitchell Starc (3/43), Vipraj Nigam (2/41), and captain Axar Patel (2/27).
While chasing during the power play, DC reached 60/3, yet a crucial partnership of 76 runs formed between Faf du Plessis (who scored 62 off 45 deliveries including seven fours and two sixes) and captain Axar Patel (scoring 43 from just 23 balls with four boundaries and three sixes), which stabilized their position in the game. Nevertheless, once Axar was dismissed by Narine, DC began to falter, eventually collapsing to 160/8. Despite efforts from Vipin Nair (contributing 38 off only 19 balls featuring five fours and two sixes), DC were limited to 190/9 within the allotted twenty overs.
Narine (3/29) stood out as the top bowler for KKR. Varun chipped in with figures of 2/39 over four overs. Anukul, Vaibhav, and Russell claimed one wicket apiece.
Currently, KKR stands at the seventh position with four victories and five defeats, accumulating eight points. In contrast, DC holds the fourth rank, boasting six wins against four losses for a total of twelve points. However, when playing at their home ground, they have secured only one win from their first four matches. (ANI)