IPL 2024: SRK Blows Flying Kiss, Gautam Gambhir Shares Heartfelt Hug As Sunil Narine Smashes Spectacular Ton
In a thrilling match at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Tuesday, Sunil Narine made history by scoring his maiden century in the Indian Premier League (IPL) against Rajasthan Royals. Narine's remarkable innings saw him reach the century mark in just 49 deliveries, displaying sheer brilliance with the bat.
Narine's explosive innings included 11 boundaries and 6 sixes, achieving a remarkable strike rate of 204.08. In total, Narine scored 109 runs off 56 deliveries, leaving the crowd at the Eden Gardens in awe of his batting prowess.??
Following the century by Narine, Kolkata Knight Riders owner Shah Rukh Khan, who was in the stands, also erupted in joy. He sent a flying kiss to the opening batter for magnificent effort with the bat and lightning up the Eden Gardens in Kolkata with his brutal batting display.
Not only this but mentor Gautam Gambhir was also delighted with Sunil Narine hitting a century. He came on the ground during the strategic timeout and hugged the batter for his effort.
Speaking after the first innings, Narine expressed surprise at being in the race for the orange cap, considering his lack of batting prominence in recent times.
Narine admitted, "I would have taken it as a joke because I haven¡¯t opened in such a long time or done much with the bat in the past."?
Despite struggling with the bat in previous seasons, he acknowledged the pivotal role of his former skipper and current mentor, Gautam Gambhir, in rejuvenating his batting form. Narine credited Gambhir's confidence and assurance, stating, "With GG (Gambhir) coming back, he gave me the confidence and his assurance that I¡¯ll open the batting."??
This century by Narine adds him to the exclusive club of IPL centurions, alongside Brendon McCullum and Venkatesh Iyer. McCullum scored an unbeaten 158* against Royal Challengers Bangalore in 2008, while Iyer achieved his century with a score of 104 against Mumbai Indians in 2023.
Batting first, the Kolkata Knight Riders posted a formidable total of 223 runs for the loss of six wickets in their allotted 20 overs. Alongside Narine's century, contributions from Philip Salt (10), Angkrish Raghuvanshi (30), skipper Shreyas Iyer (11), Andre Russell (13), Venkatesh Iyer (8), Rinku Singh (20*), and Ramandeep Singh (1*) bolstered their innings.
In a stunning turnaround, Rajasthan Royals found themselves in dire straits early on, but Jos Buttler emerged as the knight in shining armor. With a breathtaking display of power hitting, Buttler notched an unbeaten 107 off just 60 deliveries, steering his team to a thrilling victory on the final ball of the match.
This thriller clash witnessed Rajasthan Royals scaling a monumental target, matching the highest successful chase ever recorded in the annals of the Indian Premier League (IPL). Their remarkable feat unfolded at the historic Eden Gardens against the formidable Kolkata Knight Riders in what will surely be etched as a memorable encounter in the IPL 2024 saga.
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