LSG vs KKR, IPL 2024: Sunil Narine shines in Kolkata Knight Riders’ 98-run loss to Lucknow Supergiants | cricket news

Sunil Narine’s brilliant half-century and the collective effort of the bowlers led Kolkata Knight Riders to a 98-run win over Lucknow Super Giants in the IPL at the Ekana Cricket Stadium on Sunday. The decision to bowl first did not go as planned for LSG as KKR became the first team to cross the 200-run mark at the Ekana Stadium. Proving his worth with the willow once again, Narine (81 off 38 balls) smashed six sixes and six fours to take the visitors to 235/6.

Chasing a mammoth target, LSG’s batsmen got the ball rolling right from the start, but the hosts found it difficult to hit big shots and were eventually bowled out for 137 in 16.1 overs.

Within the first 10 overs, LSG had lost half the team including captain KL Rahul (25), Arshin Kulkarni (9), Deepak Hooda (5) and big hitters Marcus Stoinis (36) and Nicholas Pooran (10).

Ashton Turner hit some sharp blows and looked to be in the mood to showcase his batting skills, but the Australian was extremely unlucky as an inside edge clipped his boot and Varun Chakravarthy completed a catch and was bowled.

With the win, KKR reached the top of the table. They have the same 16 points as Rajasthan Royals but have played one game more.

On the other hand, LSG slipped out of the top four to fifth place with 12 points from 11 games. His net run rate also dropped drastically and it dropped from 0.094 to -0.371.

Earlier, the in-form Narine, who was dismissed twice in the space of two balls, hit five fours in five balls, setting the tone for KKR’s innings.

First, he hit back-to-back fours off Naveen-ul-Haq on the last two balls of the third over. After this, he attacked the off side by hitting three consecutive fours off Mohsin Khan in the fourth over.

Narine and Phil Salt (32) gave the two-time champions the explosive start they expected from the pair. The two put on a quick-fire partnership of 61 runs before Naveen-ul-Haq increased the pace of the ball and sent the Englishman to the pavilion.

Medium pacer Yash Thakur stopped the flow of runs in the final over of the powerplay and conceded only two runs as KKR reached 70/1.

However, an unperturbed Narine continued his attack and brought up his half-century in 27 balls, with a cheeky late dab that edged the ball past short third.

He particularly liked Marcus Stoinis, sending the ball over the fence three times in the 11th over.

But Ravi Bishnoi, on whose bowling Narine was dismissed twice earlier, was third time lucky as he ended the all-rounder’s brilliant innings.

LSG bowlers were successful in containing KKR batsmen as they kept taking wickets.

Naveen-ul-Haq dismissed Andre Russell (12) before Yudhvir Singh, who had come in as a concussion sub for Mohsin Khan, took the wicket of young Angkrish Raghuvanshi (32) in the next over.

The Afghani fast bowler came back into action to dismiss Rinku Singh (16) while Thakur dismissed Shreyas Iyer (23).

But Ramandeep Singh’s unbeaten inning of 25 runs in 6 balls took KKR beyond 230 runs.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)