Sunil Narine and Phil Salt capitalized on the demoralized Punjab Kings’ bowling attack, propelling the Kolkata Knight Riders to an imposing total of 261 for six in their Tata IPL match at a packed and sweltering Eden Gardens in Kolkata last Friday.
Setting a new record for the highest total ever scored in the IPL at Eden Gardens, and their second-highest in the competition overall, Kolkata’s innings marked a significant milestone in this campaign, being the first above 200.
Sent in to bat by Punjab, the opening pair forged a formidable partnership of 138 runs in just 63 balls, characterized by aggressive stroke play and lapses in the field from Punjab’s bowlers and fielders.
The Punjab bowlers consistently erred by bowling too wide, too short, and frequently offering deliveries in the hitting zone. Fielding mishaps, including three dropped catches – one each by Arshdeep Singh, Sam Curran, and Kagiso Rabada, compounded their woes.
Kagiso Rabada, in particular, endured a forgettable outing, conceding 52 runs in three overs, while skipper Sam Curran’s spell yielded 60 runs in his four overs, his worst analysis in the IPL, albeit with the consolation of claiming the wicket of Salt.
Despite the departure of the openers, the momentum of Kolkata’s innings remained intact, courtesy of brisk contributions from Venkatesh Iyer, Andre Russell, and Shreyas Iyer, all striking close to a 200 percent strike rate.
While Shreyas Iyer’s elegant stroke play stood out, it was Narine’s blistering knock of 71 runs from 32 balls, embellished with nine fours and four sixes, that defined Kolkata’s dominance.
Rahul Chahar emerged as a lone bright spot for Punjab’s bowling unit, managing to scalp the prized wicket of Narine while conceding 33 runs in his four overs, amid an otherwise tough day for the bowlers.
