Salt, Narine pummel the PBKS attack into submission
The openers, making good use of several reprieves, rattle up 138 runs in just 63 deliveries to set the platform for Knight Riders’ eventual total of 261 for six; Venkatesh, Russell and Shreyas chip in too
Kolkata Knight Riders rode on the belligerence of its openers to post an imposing 261 for six against Punjab Kings at the Eden Gardens here on Friday.
Put in after PBKS won the toss, KKR registered the highest ever total at the Eden Gardens in the IPL history, mainly as a result of a sensational opening partnership between Phil Salt and Sunil Narine.
The Salt-Narine combination produced 138 runs in just 63 balls and gave KKR the platform for a mammoth total.
Narine seemed to regain the imperious form that he showed against Rajasthan Royals at the same venue barely 10 days ago and struck nine fours and four sixes to score 71, his third highest score in the season so far.
That the Knight Riders’ opening partnership ourished was largely owing to the largesse of the PBKS elders who dropped three catches to help the deadly duo unleash a barrage of boundaries and sixes.
Narine, who was dropped by Hardeep Brar o the bowling of Harshal Patel in the third over when he was 16, utilised the reprieve to spectacular eect.
Narine, when on 59, also saw the DRS working in his favour. A leg-before decision by the umpire was overturned as Rahul Chahar’s delivery was going over leg-stump.
The charmed lives of the KKR opening duo continued further as Salt earned two ‘lives’ in the sixth and seventh overs before being dismissed on 75 (37b, 6x4, 6x6) in the 13th over when the score read 163.
No let-up
Ventatesh Iyer (39, 23b, 3x4, 2x6) and Andre Russell (24, 12b, 2x4, 2x6) continued the run-making before captain Shreyas Iyer chipped with a breezy 28 (10b, 1x4, 3x6) to see the total reach the record mark. The previous best here was 232 for two by Mumbai Indians on April 28, 2019.
SCOREBOARD
KOLKATA KNIGHT RIDERS
Phil Salt b Curran 75 (37b, 6x4,
Sunil Narine c Bairstow b Rahul Chahar 71 (32b, 9x4, 4x6),
Venkatesh Iyer run out 39 (23b,
Andre Russell c Harshal b Arshdeep 24 (12b, 2x4, 2x6),
Shreyas Iyer c Rabada b
Arshdeep 28 (10b, 1x4, 3x6),
Rinku Singh c Ashutosh b Harshal 5 (4b, 1x4), Ramandeep Singh (not out) 6 (3b, 1x6); Extras (b-1, lb-1, nb-1, w-10): 13; Total (for six wkts. in 20 overs): 261.
FALL OF WICKETS
1-138 (Narine, 10.2 overs), 2-163 (Salt, 12.3), 3-203 (Russell, 15.3), 4-246 (Shreyas, 18.3), 5-253 (Rinku, 19.2), 6-261 (Venkatesh, 19.6).
KINGS BOWLING Curran 4-0-60-1, Arshdeep 4-0-45-2, Harshal 3-0-48-1, Rabada 3-0-52-0, Rahul Chahar 4-0-33-1, Harpreet Brar 2-0-21-0. Toss: Kings.
Kings 210 for two
Kings were 210 for two in 16 overs with Bairstow (100) and Shashank (25) at the crease. Prabhsimran (54) and Rossouw (26) were the batters dismissed