NEW DELHI: Kolkata Knight Riders clinched a remarkable seven-wicket victory over the Royal Challengers Bengaluru in a gripping showdown in the Indian Premier League at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, with Sunil Narine emerging as the standout performer of the match.
Following the win, Narine, who marked his 500th T20 appearance, shed light on the challenges encountered during the game, particularly emphasizing the difficulty of the powerplay overs.
"Powerplay over is the hardest over - just have to let that go and keep it tight," Narine remarked during the post-match presentation. He also praised the team environment within KKR, stating, "Players have full freedom to do what they want to do."
Narine's 500th match milestone places him in an elite group of T20 players, joining former teammates Kieron Pollard and Dwayne Bravo at the summit of T20 appearances.
"It's a nice milestone (500 T20s). Hopefully 500 more are to come. It's just self belief and the support staff giving encouragement. Also the hard work," Narine said about his achievement.
In the clash, RCB, asked to bat after KKR captain Shreyas Iyer won the toss, posted a challenging total of 182/6 in their allotted 20 overs, propelled by Virat Kohli's unbeaten 83-run innings. However, KKR's bowling unit, led by Harshit Rana, Andre Russell, and Narine, managed to contain RCB's formidable batting lineup with crucial wickets.
In pursuit of the target, KKR exhibited a dominant batting display, successfully chasing down 183 in the 17th over with seven wickets in hand. Venkatesh Iyer's explosive fifty and Narine's blitzkrieg in the powerplay, where he amassed 47 off just 22 balls, were instrumental in KKR's triumph.
Narine's outstanding all-round performance earned him the coveted Player of the Match award, underscoring his pivotal role in KKR's memorable away victory against RCB in the IPL.
(With inputs from ANI)
