Kolkata Knight Riders defeated Delhi Capitals handily to extend their unbeaten start to the 2024 Indian Premier League. With six points from three games, the two-time IPL champions are now atop the standings. Sunil Narine is the main factor behind KKR’s dominance in the first few games of the season.
The all-rounder from the West Indies struck a career-high 85 against the Delhi Capitals on Wednesday. During Wednesday’s game on April 3, the star cricket player got his fifth half-century and fifteenth T20 fifty in the league’s history. Sunil Narine has driven in three hitters with the ball in hand and scored 134 runs so far this season.
The Trinidadian has been an essential part of the KKR lineup ever since he made his debut. His devotion to the Knight Riders franchise is unmatched. Furthermore, the second coming of the spin bowling all-round player has been nothing short of extraordinary since Gautam Gambhir joined the club as their coach.
What is the IPL pay of Sunil Narine?
Due to his pay reduction to remain with KKR, Sunil Narine, a Caribbean all-rounder, makes INR 6 crore as of IPL 2024. It’s interesting to note that the team management cut the cricket player’s wage in half prior to the 2022 mega auctions, keeping him overseas for the same price as fellow Windies all-rounder Andre Russell.
The previous five seasons or so have seen a decline in the 35-year-old’s hitting form. Narine’s performance in the first three matches, with 134 runs, is already the best in his five IPL seasons. The Arima native’s form has also improved with the ball after five seasons of patchy play.
KKR’s decision to bat first has paid off handsomely, as they have now achieved the highest powerplay totals in back-to-back games. The most runs scored in the first six overs of the match versus Delhi Capitals this season was 88, setting a new record for the competition.
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The performance by the seasoned performer will please Gautam Gambhir, Chandrakant Pandit, and Shreyas Iyer. Rahmanullah Gurbaz was left with the responsibility and pressure of opening the batting last year. However, in 2024, Sunil Narine and Phil Salt have brought back recollections of their previous collaboration with Chris Lynn.
The Kolkata Knight Riders will play their next match at their beloved Eden Gardens, against the Chennai Super Kings. Cricket is expected to be fast-paced over the next four weeks, and the defending champions have a significant advantage. After ten years, Narine might be able to bring the prized IPL title back to Kolkata if he continues on his current trajectory.
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