This season, the explosive starting duo of Salt and Narine has been playing at a high level. With strike rates of more than 183, they have combined for more than 400 runs apiece. Shreyas Iyer, the captain of KKR, lost the toss once more; therefore, KL Rahul asked the visitors to bat first. With 61 runs off of just 26 balls, Narine and Salt gave their squad another explosive start. The batsman-wicketkeeper went out for a blistering 32 off just 14 balls, but his fellow opener didn’t stop harassing the Lucknow bowlers.
In the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024, Sunil Narine and Phil Salt helped the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) secure yet another thrilling victory. On Sunday, May 5, at the BRSABV Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow, the former two-time champions overcame the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) by a margin of 98 runs.
After making an incredible 81 off 39 balls with six fours and seven sixes, the seasoned all-rounder eventually left the field. KKR achieved the greatest score on the ground in the game’s shortest format with 235/6, thanks to the valiant efforts of the opening combination.
Shreyas showered the KKR opening pair with plaudits after the game. The right-handed batsman praised their optimistic outlook in every circumstance.
“They have been fantastic for us; their shot-playing is really wonderful. We are playing with a good mindset no matter what the circumstances are, and they are providing us with momentum and set-up,” Shreyas remarked during the post-match presentation ceremony.
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A left-right combination complicates things for the opposition; bowlers have to adjust their game plans, which has an impact. It all comes down to the ability to express oneself freely. We want to approach every scenario with positivity; sometimes things don’t work out, but other times they do,” he continued.
KL Rahul and Marcus Stoinis provided a solid 50-run combination for Lucknow in response, but once they left, it was all one-way traffic for the Knight Riders as they dismissed the home team for just 137 runs. With three wickets apiece, Varun Chakaravarthy and Harshit Rana were outstanding with the ball.
With this victory, KKR moved up to the top of the table, surpassing the Rajasthan Royals. The Knights lost three of their next five games after winning their first three of the season. But as of late, they have been incredibly consistent, winning their previous three games with absolute ease. Shreyas spoke about the team’s chaotic campaign in Kolkata.
“The last six games have caused chaos in the locker room; teammates are asking Skip what’s going on! It doesn’t matter that we are losing tosses; what matters is that we are winning games, Shreyas said.