IPL 2024: Sunil Narine’s quick century guides KKR to formidable total of 223/6 against Rajasthan Royals
West Indies all-rounder Sunil Narine shone brightly as he scored his maiden century in T20 cricket, helping Kolkata Knight Riders post 223/6 against Rajasthan Royals in Match 31 of the IPL 2024 at the Eden Gardens. Narine’s explosive innings of 109 off 56 balls included 13 boundaries and six maximums, making him only the third KKR batter to score a century in IPL history.
The match saw KKR getting off to a strong start despite losing Phil Salt early, thanks to the power-hitting of Narine and young Angkrish Raghuvanshi. Raghuvanshi, who scored a quickfire 30 off 18 balls, played a crucial role in supporting Narine as they built a formidable partnership. Despite losing a couple of wickets in quick succession, Narine continued to dominate the Rajasthan bowlers and eventually reached his century off just 49 balls.
Throughout his innings, Narine displayed exceptional hitting abilities, taking on bowlers like Ravichandran Ashwin and Yuzvendra Chahal with ease. His aggressive approach and calculated shots helped KKR set a challenging target for Rajasthan Royals. The innings also featured valuable contributions from players like Raghuvanshi and Rinku Singh, who added crucial runs towards the end.
While Narine’s brilliant century hogged the spotlight, the bowling effort from Avesh Khan and Trent Boult for Rajasthan Royals stood out. Despite conceding runs, Boult managed to dismiss Narine towards the end of the innings, limiting the damage. Overall, KKR’s total of 223/6 gave the team a strong platform to defend in the match.
In a post-match analysis, KKR skipper Shreyas Iyer praised Narine’s exceptional innings and highlighted the team’s overall performance. With this victory, Kolkata Knight Riders have secured a significant win in the IPL 2024 and will look to carry the momentum forward in the upcoming matches.
