Chennai, April 15 (NationPress) Chennai Super Kings' left-arm fast bowler Khaleel Ahmed has attributed his successful dismissal of Sunil Narine to a well-thought-out strategy, emphasizing that instilling a sense of doubt in the KKR opener was crucial for achieving this objective during their 32-run victory against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR).

As KKR aimed to leverage Narine's explosive batting at the top of the order during the power-play, CSK relied on their fast bowlers to challenge him effectively. After a few boundary hits and several mis-timed attempts that resembled an intense chase scene from an action flick, Khaleel managed to dismiss him in the fifth over.

“Initially, our goal was to secure back-to-back wins. We contemplated how to accomplish this. With Narine, his unpredictability made it challenging to foresee which delivery he would hit for runs or get out to,” Khaleel explained.

“We strategized in our meeting about utilizing the longer sides of the field and identified angles that would make it difficult for him to connect. Our execution was impressive as our bowling unit had a clear mindset and plan,” he added in a video shared on IPL's social media platforms.

Drawing from his extensive experience against Narine in the IPL, Khaleel shared how he opted for an around-the-wicket technique to create a trap. “Having bowled to him multiple times, I knew that my around-the-wicket angle could instill fear of a bouncer, leading to potential mistakes on subsequent deliveries.

“The main objective was to instill doubt in Narine’s mind. To achieve this, I had to execute precisely without giving him much elevation. We had well-defined fielding strategies that kept us secure on both sides, making it an effective plan,” Khaleel remarked.

He further noted that securing an early wicket allowed the spinners, particularly Noor Ahmad, to take control during the middle overs. “Post power-play, our spinners performed exceptionally well, as we anticipated Noor's effectiveness.

“We recognized that he could be tough to read, and it hadn’t worked out for him in prior matches. However, a solid start from our bowling unit set the stage for the spinners. Noor's unpredictability, due to his wrist spin, played a significant role,” Khaleel stated.

Fellow seamer Anshul Kamboj shared how in-depth video analysis and straightforward power-play strategies enabled him to compete effectively against KKR batters. “I kept it simple. I devised a plan beforehand, focusing on how to bowl to each batter based on video reviews.

“Identifying their weaknesses, we tailored our bowling and field placements accordingly. I aimed to execute well without being distracted by the outcomes,” he explained.

When discussing his strategy to dismiss Finn Allen, Kamboj mentioned, “I maintained the same mindset. After analyzing his videos, I noticed he favored hitting towards mid-on and long-on.

“If I could bowl away from the stumps, it would create problems for him, offering us a chance for a wicket. Therefore, I focused on delivering outswing, as in-swing would be easier for him to handle, whereas an outswinger would complicate matters for him over long-on.

Kamboj also praised Noor for his impressive three-wicket haul that dismantled the KKR batting lineup. “On this pitch, the ball had some grip, aiding Noor's performance. When the momentum is on your side, it helps with execution and overall performance,” he concluded.