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Follow UsIPL 2024 has seen the resurrection of Sunil Narine the batter. Or, to be more specific, it has seen the resurrection of Sunil Narine the opener.
Five games into Kolkata Knight Riders’ IPL 2024 campaign, Narine has amassed 167 runs. He’s not amassed these many runs in a season since IPL 2018, where he accumulated a whopping 357 runs. His powerplay strike rate of 192.8 is the second-best among all batters this season, and he’s already won KKR two matches with the bat.
Hence, understandably, there’s been a lot of focus on Narine the batter this time around.
But it’s high time we start talking about Narine the bowler as well. For, at the ripe age of 35, he is still among the best spinners in the league. And quietly, his bowling has been a major reason for KKR’s successful start to the season.
28 games into IPL 2024, Narine is the only spinner to have registered an economy under 7.0. He’s not just been delivering but doing so consistently: in every game barring the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) clash at the Chinnaswamy, he’s maintained an economy of 7.5 or less.
It’s a ‘normal’ feat by Narine’s standards but you realize it’s not actually normal, considering the overall scoring rate in all KKR games this season has been a staggering 9.67.
Against the Lucknow Super Giants on April 14 (Sunday), KKR registered an easy, thumping eight-wicket victory. On the day, the show stealer of the game was Narine’s opening partner Phil Salt, who blasted a 47-ball 89* to boost KKR’s net run rate.
But in a way, it was Narine who set up the game for Salt, with his flawless showing with the ball.
With LSG 49/2 at the end of the powerplay, with KL Rahul looking in sublime touch, Shreyas Iyer threw the ball to Narine.
What followed was a flawless spell from the veteran that saw him finish with figures of 4-0-17-1, picking the wicket of the dangerous Ayush Badoni.
LSG were going at 8.16 when Narine was brought into the attack. By the time he was done, this run rate had come down to 7.66. Remarkably, across his four-over spell, the 35-year-old did not concede a single boundary.
Controlling the middle-overs is what Narine did on the day. It’s also something he’s done all season.
28 games into IPL 2024, nobody has bowled more overs in the 7-15 phase than Narine (18). And his economy of 6.6 is the best among all bowlers who have sent down at least 12 overs in the phase.
He’s bowled at least three overs in the 7-15 phase in every KKR game this season, and has only once conceded more than 25 runs. Narine has been such a bank for the Knight Riders in the middle overs, and this has gone a long way in providing the side stability, especially at a time when some of the other bowlers have struggled.
Narine has not been a lethal wicket-taker in the IPL in over half a decade, but there are few — if any — better than him when it comes to building pressure.
This season, he’s built pressure by completely drying up boundaries. At the time of writing this, 17 bowlers in IPL 2024 have bowled 20 or more overs. Among them, nobody has conceded fewer boundaries than Narine (10).
In his entire four-over spell against LSG today, the veteran did not concede a single boundary.
Remarkably, however, he already achieved the same feat earlier in the season, bowling four boundary-less overs against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in Kolkata. And that was a clash in which a total of 412 runs were scored in 40 overs.
Everyone remembers Harshit Rana’s final over from that contest, but Narine’s spell (4-0-19-1) was pivotal to the Knight Riders registering an unlikely win.
Before every auction, there are inevitably discussions about whether KKR should retain Narine. He’s had his fair share of ups and downs but through thick and thin, the Knight Riders have kept their faith in the 35-year-old, always treating him as a key cog in the side.
You have to admit that KKR, this year, are really reaping the rewards for the unending trust they’ve shown in the veteran.
Early days, but if Narine can keep up his level with the ball and produce the occasional magical knock with the bat, he will unquestionably be a favorite the walk away with the Player of the Tournament award.
